The Test
by Tavyn
Summary: [Collaboration with ClaudiaRain] She shouldn't have fainted. That was her first clue. Then there was the morning sickness. At least with the team on shore leave, it's just a quick stop to a drug to store pick up a test... If only she and Leonard could get some time alone for her to take it. But with nosy friends and teammates dropping in left and right, what're the odds of that?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is a collaborated work with co-author ClaudiaRain. I hope you all enjoy it - I know we needed this light-hearted break from our Destiny fix-its. Note: This takes place at least a year in the future for our Legends, in a universe where the Flashpoint storyline on Flash either is resolved or never happened, and Earth-2 Dr. Wells and Jesse stuck around in Central City.

* * *

She shouldn't have fainted. That was her first clue.

It was only for a second, (well, maybe two) – just long enough for her to start to fall. If it weren't for Leonard standing right beside her, it probably would've hurt, too, when she hit the grated floor of the Waverider. Instead he caught her, easily scooping her up as she collapsed into his arms. The next thing she knew, she was being held bridal-style, her arms looped around his neck as he gazed down at her in concern.

"Almost lost you," he said, jokingly, but there was a question in his eyes, and genuine worry. She knew how to read that in him by now.

"I'm fine. Just exhausted from the endless missions," she said, craning her neck back to see the rest of her teammates on the bridge and staring pointedly at Hunter. "I demand shore leave."

And they'd earned it. Two months pursuing a seemingly infinite queue of time criminals with hardly any rest, even on the ship. She'd mostly spent the few breaks they'd had holed up with Len (perhaps not doing enough actual sleeping after all).

Rip agreed, looking at her just a little oddly. With the latest threat taken care of, Gideon wasn't detecting any imminent danger, so Rip told them they could spend a week or two in their own time, provided everything stayed quiet.

"I'll page you if you're needed," Rip called after them as they left the ship.

"We'll be sure not to answer," Len shot back, and no one could quite tell if he was kidding – although they suspected he wasn't.

Even after they'd found haven in their Central City apartment, Sara still couldn't shake off the memory of the concern she'd seen all over Leonard's face, or the way his searching eyes had studied her, seeking some unknown wound. She couldn't remember the last time she'd fainted without suffering a critical injury, and he had to have been thinking the same thing.

The image of Leonard's worry ( _or was it fear?_ ) haunted her well into the night, even as she lay safe and warm, tangled up with him in their comfy king-size bed. _Am I losing my touch? Getting_ _too old to push myself so hard?_ Then she snorted, just imagining the looks on Len and Mick's faces if she tried suggesting that to them. _Maybe age is relative…_

In all seriousness, though, what if she lost it in the middle of a fight, and someone – like Leonard – got hurt because of her? She stroked a hand down the arm he had slung limply over her waist, closing her eyes against that thought and concentrating on the feeling of his breath against her neck as he slept. The thought of losing him because of her own weakness was unbearable.

By dawn, she'd worked herself up to the point of feeling sick to her stomach. She slipped out of Leonard's arms and their bed, tiptoeing to the bathroom. She knew Len was a light sleeper, especially when she wasn't there, so she crossed her fingers that she wouldn't wake him as she gently shut the door. Then she was falling onto the floor, shuddering as her stomach heaved. It wasn't long before she'd dissolved into a shaking mess, head resting against the cool porcelain of the toilet seat as her fingers weakly sought the handle to flush.

The next thing she knew, the door was opening. She was dimly aware of Leonard coming in, hesitating a moment before turning on the faucet to wet a washcloth. He eased himself down to the floor behind her, coaxing her to lean back against his bare chest.

"Are you sick?" he asked, placing the cloth on her forehead and smoothing her tangled hair off her face. She nestled into his neck, letting her eyes fall closed as he wrapped his arms around her. It wasn't lost on her that he didn't seem to care about getting close to her even if she _were_ suffering from some awful virus.

"Just stressed, I think," she sighed. "I haven't felt any other symptoms, at least. We've been doing a lot lately…I really needed this time off."

"Hmm," he murmured into her ear, leaning his head down to place a kiss at her neck – which apparently had a dual purpose. "You don't feel warm, so maybe you're right. Could be just stress, and exhaustion. You can relax now, though." His voice was soft as he rubbed his hands lightly down her arms. "We're safe."

"I know," she whispered, wrapping her hand around his and squeezing it. She _always_ felt safe with him – even when they were in the middle of a battle; he always had her back, and she always had his. "Thank you."

She didn't realize she was falling asleep until she felt herself being lifted, Leonard carrying her back to bed. He didn't let her go even when they got there, instead climbing in next to her and pulling them under the sheets with her arms still wrapped around his neck.

"You know, it's a very different feeling being able to take care of you for once, Lance," he said when they were finally settled. "It's nice," he added, speaking into her skin as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You should let me do it more often."

"I hope you won't have to," she said, letting her free hand run down his neck and across his chest, coming to rest at his back. She snuggled into him, humming as he ran his fingers through her hair. No matter what, he was the one constant in her life – she always felt better when she was with him.

"That's what I'm here for," he said, as she slipped into unconsciousness.

A few hours later, she woke to the sound of her phone buzzing. She opened her eyes to the bright yellow light spilling into their bedroom, smiling when she realized Len was setting a cup of coffee by her bedside.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, handing her the phone.

"Much better." She squinted at the incoming call – it was one of her friends from Team Flash, Caitlin Snow. They'd become much closer during her visits home, since they'd started their journey through time.

"Hey Cait," she answered, plopping her head back on the pillow and patting the spot next to her in bed, inviting Len to join her.

" _Sara!"_ came Caitlin's excited – and somewhat chiding, she thought – voice over the line. _"You told me you were coming home to visit last night and I haven't heard from you since!"_ Sara grimaced – she knew she'd forgotten something. _"I'm sure that was just an oversight on your part, of course, but I insist we grab lunch today since I have the day off."_

"That's Snow, right?" Len asked (as if he hadn't glanced at the screen before handing it to her). He settled in beside her with his coffee. "Isn't she a doctor?"

Sara frowned at him. He knew damn well it was Caitlin calling _and_ that she was a doctor. "You're not subtle, you know," she whispered, covering the mouthpiece.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, innocently (as if he was _ever_ innocent).

"Uh huh." She tuned back into what Caitlin was saying. "Thanks for the invite, Cait, but, uh –" She hated turning her down, but it was their first day back and it'd probably be best if she spent it resting. Well, maybe just some _light_ activity, she thought, glancing over at Leonard.

"Tell her you'll go," he said, quietly, pointing at the phone.

"Are you serious?" She frowned at him. "Hang on a sec, Cait." She moved the phone away from her mouth, resting it against her stomach to muffle any sound. "I'm _fine_ ," she said to Leonard, raising her eyebrows at him.

"She's a doctor, you can ask her if she thinks you need to get checked out," he argued. "I think they can do that over at S.T.A.R. Labs."

She huffed. "Oh, now you want me stealing medical advice from a friend?"

"If she's really your friend, she'll willingly give it for free," he countered. "She cares about you and she happens to be a doctor. You might as well ask." He gave her a pointed stare, the one she knew by now meant, _You're not gonna win this fight, Lance_.

She sighed, pulling the phone back up to her ear. "Hey Cait? Yeah sure, let's get lunch. Where do you – oh, Gino's? On 5th and 3rd, yeah, I know it, it's close to our place. Okay, see you then." She hung up, tossing the phone back on the table and picking up her coffee.

"Well, now that I have _plans_ , there goes spending the day in bed." She pouted at Len from behind her mug.

He waited for her to take a sip, then gently plucked it out of her hands and set it down next to his.

"You're feeling better?" he asked again, pulling her into his arms.

She nodded, rubbing a foot down his leg as she stretched out alongside him. "Mmm, much."

He kissed her shoulder, then her neck. "Well then," he said, warm breath at her ear, "at least we have the rest of the morning. You're lucky I know how to use my time effectively."

She started laughing, though when he kissed her deeply, she quickly forgot what she'd even been laughing about.

By the time she met up with Caitlin for lunch, Sara felt like she was borderline starving. She and Len hadn't had a chance to go shopping yet, so all they had in the apartment were left over dry goods from their last visit. Not that they'd bothered to make anything except coffee that morning, but still. She was more than ready to eat when she and Caitlin sat down.

"I'm glad you wanted to meet for lunch," Sara told her, "because I'm much more famished than I realized. We had quite a…busy morning."

"You guys probably had a lot of things to do, huh?" Caitlin asked absently as she scanned the menu.

"Oh yeah, lots of things." Sara knew from Caitlin's lack of reaction that she didn't get it yet. "In lots of positions."

Caitlin snapped her gaze up, eyes widening. "Sara!"

Sara couldn't help her laughter. She'd learned long ago that talking about sex or anything even remotely related to it was a great way to get Caitlin flustered. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself," she semi-apologized.

"Well, with Leonard at home, I don't blame you."

It took Sara a few moments to realize Caitlin had twisted her words around (probably on purpose). "Did you just make a joke about how attractive my boyfriend is?"

"I _do_ have eyes," Caitlin said, haughtily, before breaking into laughter with Sara. "But I'm really glad for you. I know you two have been together a while, but I've noticed the difference in you since…what I mean is, you and Leonard are good for each other. You've been so much more relaxed and…happy."

"I am," Sara affirmed, playing with the napkin in her lap. "I am happy."

"God knows you've earned it," Caitlin said. " _Both_ of you."

Sara smiled at her gratefully. Even though she and Leonard had been together for over a year, there were still some who didn't think it would last. And some who still judged Leonard based on his past. It meant a lot to hear that someone outside of her team recognized they were good for each other – even more so when that "someone" was one of her best friends. Most importantly, while Caitlin's first few interactions with Leonard had been back when, okay, he was kind of a supervillain – they'd both moved past it to the point that they now considered each other friends. And their acceptance of each other meant more to Sara than either of them would probably ever know.

Sara took her friend's opening as an opportunity to fill Caitlin in on her team's adventures since they'd last visited home. She ended with her recent concerns about her well-being: fainting, feeling sick…and her worry that she was going to be a liability to her team. Loathe though she was to admit her weaknesses, it was a distinct relief to confide in someone who didn't depend on her.

"It could be stress," Caitlin agreed, mulling over Sara's words as she munched on a piece of bread. "Or a virus – though you seem fine now. I could give you an exam at S.T.A.R. Labs if you want to be safe."

Sara would have agreed, but she was distracted when a waiter passed by with a tray of food. "Oh my god is that basil?" she asked, inhaling a deep breath of the sweet air at the Italian restaurant. "That smells _amazing_. What is that on, bruschetta? We have to order some."

"Sara," Caitlin said, gaze sharpening suddenly. She took Sara's hand, looking at her in that serious way she often did when she was about to make a very keen observation. "Could you be…pregnant?"

"Pregnant!" Sara yelled, earning a few curious glances their way. She hastily lowered her voice, covering her mouth with her hands. "I mean, no! I mean…I would know if I were. Wouldn't I?"

From the way Caitlin was looking at her, Sara had a sinking feeling that no, she might _not_ know. "Oh God."

Needless to say, after that, it was a very quick lunch. Neither of them was able to focus or really enjoy their meals. Sara spent most of the time trying to talk her way out of the possibility, while Caitlin sympathetically agreed, yet kept insisting Sara had to check _just to be sure_. They paid the bill before they were even done eating, soon finding themselves at a little drug store around the corner from the restaurant.

"You know, you could just come to S.T.A.R. Labs," Caitlin said, staring at the row of pregnancy tests. "I'm no OB-GYN, but we could find out how far along you are and do an ultrasound, too."

Sara shook her head, picking up tests and putting them back down without really looking at them. "Everyone always seems to be hanging around there and I'd rather not have an audience," she said. "No offense, but it's like half of you don't even have jobs."

Caitlin sent her a mock-glare. "Hey, that happens to be my actual workplace."

"What about Detective West? And Iris? And Barry? Though I guess he gets a pass since he can complete his actual work in record time. But I've seen both Wally and Jesse there, too."

"I guess it _has_ become a natural place of congregation," Caitlin said, thoughtfully. "But don't forget, Cisco also works there, and…Dr. Wells."

"Dr. Wells, hmm?" Sara cast a thoughtful glance at Caitlin, who suddenly seemed overly interested in reading the back of every box on the shelf in front of them. When she didn't answer, Sara couldn't help teasing, "You need one of these tests yourself?"

"What?" Caitlin looked up, needing a few seconds to process what Sara was insinuating, then dropped the test kit in her hand as if it were on fire. " _What_? No! Sara!"

"I'm just making small talk," Sara protested. (She also couldn't deny it was a superb way to distract herself.) "You're the one acting…guilty."

"I'm not acting guilty," Caitlin said, picking up the fallen test, but was that the faintest hint of a blush spreading across her face? "There's nothing to act guilty _about_. I'm just helping to make sure you buy the best one."

"Suuuuure," Sara said, intentionally drawing out the word. "You know, my mother used to tell me I should marry a doctor."

Caitlin opened and shut her mouth a few times. "I regret coming here with you," she finally said. "I have no idea what you're talking about; Dr. Wells and I are colleagues. That's it."

"Mmhmm." Sara picked up and put down a few tests without doing more than skimming the back of the boxes. "That must be why you glow when you talk about him. And…blush."

"I'm not blushing!" Caitlin hissed, which made her blush even more. "I don't…look, Dr. Wells and I are _friendly_ colleagues. He's very intelligent and highly-respected in his field. I'm lucky to work with him, that's all."

"You're _getting lucky_ working with him?!" Sara exclaimed, deliberately choosing to mishear what her friend had said.

"I am not! Stop it!"

"I mean there's nothing wrong with being attracted to an older man," Sara added, unable to resist herself. "The more experience, the better – I would know."

Caitlin hit her arm with the test in her hand. An elderly woman at the end of the aisle shot them a scandalized look before hobbling away with her cane.

Sara laughed and held up her hands as a gesture of surrender. "Okay, fine, forget I even brought it up. But wow, does he really work you up or what?"

Caitlin heaved a sigh and shook her head, apparently in silent concession that she was never going to win when it came to Sara. "This is about you, stop trying to make it about me with your wild and _highly_ inappropriate imagination."

Her words brought Sara back to reality after the brief respite she'd had from worrying. "Right. This is about…me." And Leonard. And…possibly someone else. An _entirely new person_. Oh God.

"You're pretty pale. Are you alright?" Caitlin took hold of her arm, making Sara suspect that she looked pretty bad. "I can come home with you, wait while you take it…"

"No, it's okay. I appreciate the offer though." She patted Caitlin's hand as the other woman studied her with concern. "Len's at home and I'd want to find out with him, anyway." She didn't know what compelled her to be as honest as she was when she added, "I don't want anyone getting…too excited, you know? Especially if I'm not…" She couldn't even bring herself to say the word.

"I understand," Caitlin said simply, and let go of her.

"It's not you, it's just that my team can be a little…out there," Sara tried to explain, still worried Caitlin might take her rejection of the offer as an insult. "If there's even the slightest possibility that – well, it could turn into an entire _thing_ and I'd rather just keep it quiet. For now."

"I get it. Really," Caitlin reassured her.

Sara turned her attention back to the rows and rows of tests before her. "Why do they cost so much? And how come there are so many when they all do the exact same thing? Do we really need…" she counted, "Eleven different brands?!"

"Blame the consumers who demand choice," Caitlin said. "It's simple market economics. Just the other day, Dr. – I mean, I was talking with someone about –"

"Wait, who were you talking about economics with?" Sara interrupted, suspiciously. "How many doctors do you _know_ , exactly?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes, though Sara didn't miss that her friend deliberately avoided meeting her gaze. "Let's just get back to choosing a test for you."

"Are you sure it was economics you were talking about and not chemistry?" Sara goaded.

Caitlin merely stared at her, disapprovingly.

"Okay, guess not," Sara allowed, sending her a sideways glance, but she really had to pick a test and stop stalling.

Caitlin held one up for her. "How about this one? It will give you a smiley face if it's positive." She raised her eyebrows, cheeky smile saying she knew _exactly_ what Sara would think of that.

Right on cue, Sara sent her a disparaging look before scanning the row for the cheapest test and grabbing it before she could overthink this any more than she already had.

"If Len were here I'd let him steal this," she told Caitlin, grinning when she saw how affronted her friend looked at the comment. "It's just a stick that I'm going to pee on, I'm being robbed as it is," she argued.

"That's not the point," Caitlin said, primly, as they went to check out.

"Right, because you never break rules. Or laws. Or –"

"I get it," Caitlin said, rolling her eyes. "You and your team are 'morally ambiguous' or whatever. I just cringe at the thought of you getting arrested for shoplifting a pregnancy test."

"They wouldn't lock me up for that," Sara informed her. "And if they did, Len would just break me out. I bet even Barry would help."

"I can't believe how quickly you've corrupted him. My poor, innocent –"

"Barry Allen is _far_ from innocent," Sara broke in. "You think I have a wild imagination? What about you over here trying to convince me that your team are all paragons of moral virtue? Wait until I tell Barry – no, wait until I tell Dr. –"

"Know what, let's just never mention anything about this conversation ever again," Caitlin pleaded. "Deal?"

Sara only laughed as they exited the pharmacy. They came to a stop outside before heading their separate ways (and she very carefully didn't agree to Caitlin's request, either…it was always good to have something tucked away to use in case she needed it).

When Caitlin leaned over to hug her, it was both surprising and…not. Over time, they'd become pretty close – closer than Sara had meant to let them become. In fact, if pressed, Sara might say Caitlin was the closest thing to a best friend that she had, nowadays. She didn't often think (or talk) about it because whenever she did, her thoughts inevitably turned to Laurel and how these were the moments she should have been spending with her older sister. Instead…

Well, it didn't do much good thinking about it, right? And above all else, she knew Laurel would want her to be okay. If there was absolutely nothing else, she knew this: her sister would be happy she had a friend she could confide in.

"Call me either way," Caitlin told her, breaking Sara out of her thoughts as she pulled away. "If the test is negative, I can give you a physical to make sure there's nothing else going on. And if it's positive…" she paused, biting her lip to try and stop the smile slowly growing on her face.

"Stop," Sara insisted. "I told you, don't get all excited. I'm probably not…" She still couldn't say it. "And anyway, my mom had two miscarriages before Laurel was born. Even if I am…" _Nope._ Did she have some kind of mental tick? "It's still too early."

"It's okay to think positively," Caitlin told her, softly.

"I know," Sara said, "but what if –"

"What if nothing. You haven't even taken a test yet. Worry about everything else after. Think of it in steps, okay? The first step is going home and talking to Leonard and…" she nodded at the bag in Sara's hand.

"Steps. Right. I can do that." At least, she thought she could.

Caitlin was smiling openly now. "Call me right away when you find out," she ordered. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back?"

"Yeah," Sara said. "I need some time to think."

"Thinking" wasn't really what she did, though. It was more like she fretted the whole walk back to the apartment. _I couldn't be, right?_ she mused, thoughts entirely on the test she'd bought. Her period had been sporadic at best for years, ever since the _Gambit_ , and even worse since she'd been resurrected. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had it, so she supposed it was possible... But she hadn't thought that she'd ever be _able_ to have kids, as broken as she was.

In fact, she'd never had a "scare" in her life. And it was kind of a strange term anyway, wasn't it? Because it implied that having a child was something to be terrified about, and as hard as she tried to sort through her feelings on the matter, terror just wasn't one of them. Worry, anxiety, nervousness, all of those, yes, and plenty more, but _scared_ of having a child? It just didn't factor into the situation – not when she'd be having a child with _him_.

But what would Leonard think about it? They'd never once discussed the possibility. She couldn't even imagine his reaction – a dozen alternatives flitted through her head and left her wringing her hands for a full minute, lingering outside on the sidewalk before finally gathering her courage to enter their building.

When she let herself into their apartment, Len was sitting at their kitchen island, doing something on his laptop.

He glanced up at the sound of the door, smiling at her. "Hey, welcome back. What did Snow think?" He must have seen the trepidation on her face, because his smile slowly faded into a frown. "What is it? Something serious?"

"You could say that," she told him, instantly regretting it when all color drained from his face and he stood up. "No – not like...deadly illness serious. I mean a different kind of serious."

He relaxed, if only slightly, noticing the bag in her hand. "What's that?"

She felt like she'd stepped out of her body as she moved around the island, setting the bag down between them and bracing her hands on the counter. She inhaled deeply before taking the test out and sliding it over to him. "Cait thinks there's a chance I'm…"

His gaze moved from the box to her, a brief pause before he realized what she was saying. And then his eyes lighted, his brow shooting up on his forehead as he made the connection.

"Oh," he said, dazed, barely breathing out the word. " _Oh_."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hope you guys are enjoying this so far! Shenanigans and hijinks abound in this chapter, you've been warned.

* * *

Leonard couldn't help it: his body sagged in relief as he ran a hand over his face, surprised to find it was shaking. When Sara had come in with that look on her face like the whole world might be ending (which would translate, basically, to _his_ whole world ending), well, his mind had jumped to the worst scenarios. And this…this was about the opposite of anything he'd imagined.

She didn't seem to understand what he was thinking, though – she was still staring at him wide-eyed and motionless, like she was holding her breath. It occurred to him, belatedly, that he really needed to say something. He closed the distance between them, taking her face in his hands.

"I thought you were dying of some awful disease, like one from the past," he said. "Don't do that to me again." He rubbed a thumb over her cheek. "Next time, just say, 'Leonard, I think I might be pregnant.' Spare me the grief."

He didn't even realize the implication of his words until her eyes opened even wider. _Next time_. That implied that there could be a next time – it implied all kinds of things about their future that, by now, he was obviously starting to assume even though they'd never discussed those things out loud.

She glanced over at the computer screen, face softening as she noticed his search – true to his words, he had been searching infectious diseases of London, circa 1690 – their most recent stop in time.

"You know, we've been immunized for all of those," she said, gently, small smile tugging at her lips as she brought her own hands up to hold his, which were still cupping her face. "Gideon wouldn't let us bring anything back that would reinfect the world. At least, I don't think…"

"I know," he said, "but I was worried anyway. It seems like the kind of thing that could happen on Rip's watch."

She laughed a little, because of course he couldn't resist getting in a dig at their captain. Her laughter faded, though, as her eyes moved back to the pregnancy test. "We've never talked about this," she said, weakly. He nodded; that was definitely an oversight on their part.

"No time like the present," he joked, but it was no use. She'd let her eyes fall downward, biting at her lip in that way she did when she was truly at a loss. "What do you think?" he asked, gently. "What do you want?"

Her frown deepened. He tilted her chin up, silently asking her to look at him. She did, finally, then sighed. "What do _you_ want?" she countered.

"Answering a question with a question?" he chided, though his tone was light. "All I know right now is I'm glad you're not dying." He pressed his forehead against hers. "Everything else seems very manageable in comparison. As long as I have you."

She nodded, closing her eyes as she rubbed her hands against his. "What if I can't do it?" she whispered, face twisting. "Or what if something happens and –"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he said, drawing away from her just enough to look in her eyes. "We don't even know."

He kissed her then, smoothing his hands back into her hair. She sighed against his mouth, and he could feel some of the tension drain out of her as she looped an arm around his neck.

When they finally came up for air, he whispered, "Whatever happens, we can do it. Together. Me and you, Lance." She took a deep breath, bracing a hand against his chest and nodding. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. They stood like that for a long while, not saying anything, just taking comfort in each other.

"Alright," she said at last, breaking out of his hold and turning back to the test on the counter. "Now or never, I guess." She picked up the box, possibly looking more lost than he'd ever seen her.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" he asked, rubbing her arm.

"And watch me pee on a stick?" she balked. "Yeah that'll really keep the romance alive."

"Well, it does for some people..." At her questioning look he clarified, "Not that I'm one of them!"

"And here I was afraid we were learning too much about each other," she teased, then looked back at the test again, frowning. He had to resist smiling at the way the little dimple in her chin deepened when she pouted. "Ugh, I can't believe I really have to pee on it. That's so gross."

"Your favorite weapon is a knife – how many times have you drawn blood? Yet a little pee is gross to you?" he asked, feeling his mouth curve into a smile despite himself. "And are you trying to tell me you've never had to take one of these before?"

"Never," she admitted, looking up at him a little slyly. "Despite my misspent youth dating bad boys like you, you're the first one who may have knocked me up, Snart."

He actually looked smug at her words. "I guess that makes me the baddest," he smirked.

"Or the best," she said, kissing him in that special way of hers that always left his head spinning. When she pulled back, her blue eyes were dark and she was biting her lip again – but this time he knew it meant she was thinking about doing the kinds of things that got them into this situation in the first place.

"Stop trying to distract me," he said, pointing her to the bathroom. She just grinned. "Your charms have no power here!"

"That's not what you said last night. Or this morning," she said, words sinking into that sexy bedroom voice of hers. "Are you sure you don't want to take a break first? I can take this later, once we're both a little less _tense_."

"Nice try," he said, taking her by the shoulders and turning her toward the bathroom. If he didn't turn her away he knew he might just give in…and he was too anxious to keep waiting. "I'll still be here in a few minutes when you're done. Think of me as…your reward."

"You're awfully full of yourself," she said, abruptly laughing.

"Well, I mean, you've seen me in action. I don't have to explain. Nor do I hear you arguing."

She groaned, glancing back down at the box in disgust. "Fine," she conceded, moving reluctantly to the bathroom. "But you'd better make it up to me."

"Many, many times," he promised, as she shook her head at him and pulled the door shut behind her.

All teasing aside, the weight of the moment hit Leonard when he heard that door click into place. It seemed a little final, he thought, like that noise alone signified a turning point in their lives – one that they couldn't come back from. Either way, things were bound to change, now that they were considering…well, being parents. Together.

 _I could be a father._ The thought hit him all at once, surprising him with its intensity as he fell onto one of the bar stools in their kitchen. He'd never even considered the idea before, had never thought that he, of all people, would be deserving of that, would ever have that… His thoughts turned unbidden to his own father and he scowled. His childhood had been about as bad as they came, but he could make sure that his child ( _their child…_ ) had everything he never did.

And Sara, _Sara_ …her beautiful face sprang to his mind, smiling at him in that teasing way she did whenever she was trying to say _I love you_ without actually saying it. Sara would be an incredible mother; he knew that for certain. Sure she was tough, and strong, and relentless when she needed to be. But she was also soft, and gentle, and caring. It was so easy to imagine her with a baby in her arms – _his_ baby. The thought stirred some kind of longing in him he hadn't even known existed.

He came out of his thoughts to hear someone knocking on the door. Whoever it was must have been impatient, since almost immediately there was the sound of a key turning in the lock. And there was only one person who had a spare key to their place.

"Hey boss," Mick said, letting himself in.

"We brought a casserole!" Ray announced, right behind him. He was holding up a covered dish.

 _Oh no._

"I was making one already and thought you guys probably haven't had much time to go shopping," Ray continued, dropping the still hot casserole onto the island. "I bet you haven't even left your apartment yet, have you?" The implication of his words was obvious.

"Actually, Sara went out for lunch earlier," Len said, happy he could prove Palmer wrong. "And to what do we owe this dubious pleasure?" He was silently cursing. How had the two of them developed such an impeccable talent for bad timing?

"We were just in the neighborhood. Thought we'd stop by," Ray said, grabbing some water for himself from the fridge and tossing Mick a beer.

"You _live_ in the building," Len reminded him.

"Our cable's out," Mick grunted, as he popped the cap and took a sip from the bottle.

"What he means is that you have cable and we don't," Ray added, looking sternly at Mick, "because _someone_ didn't pay the bill."

"You know I'm not good with payment due dates and stuff," Mick grumbled. "Don't know why you had to tag along here anyways."

"I live with you!" Ray protested.

"Yeah…that's why I had to get out of our apartment," Mick agreed.

"You know, you two could have had separate apartments," Len sighed, closing his eyes against his irritation. "I own the whole building, after all."

"But we wouldn't want to displace any of your tenants when we're just here part-time," Ray said. "Plus, we're such great roommates!"

"Speak for yourself," Mick muttered. "Though…the cooking isn't bad, I have to admit."

"This really isn't a great time," Leonard told them. "Why don't you come back later?"

"Trying to get rid of us, sure!" Mick laughed. "Good one." He went off into the living room and Len heard the TV turn on – apparently he was making himself at home. As usual.

Ray at least, seemed to take him a little more seriously. Or _too_ seriously, if his frown was any indication. "Why isn't it a good time? And where's Sara, is she not back yet? I'm surprised she went out, she seemed a little peaked yesterday when she fainted."

"Yes, she was sick," Leonard said, grabbing onto the excuse with relief. He didn't want either of them around when she came out of the bathroom (though the odds of getting rid of them were looking slimmer by the second). "She felt better so she met up with Caitlin, then she…felt sick again. So, like I said, why don't you come back later?"

"Oh no," Ray said, face falling. "What are her symptoms?" He immediately pulled up Web MD on his phone and typed in a search for "fainting". Leonard groaned.

 _That backfired spectacularly_.

"I think it's just a stomach bug," Leonard said, grasping at straws. "I'm sure she doesn't want company."

"C'mere, Haircut," Mick called from the living room. "Help me find the channel the game is on."

Ray went willingly, pulling up the search function on the cable guide. That was when the bathroom door opened, Leonard's head snapping over at the sound. _Sara_.

She peeked her head out, a crinkle in her forehead and her mouth twisted in a frown. The expression could mean anything.

Slowly, she let herself out of the bathroom and moved across the floor to him, arms crossed over her chest, hugging herself.

"Well?" he whispered, when she was close enough to hear. She leaned around him, glancing over at Mick and Ray (still squabbling over the TV – apparently Mick thought Ray was "doing it wrong") before meeting his gaze. His stomach dropped in anticipation.

"I couldn't do it," she admitted.

"What?"

"I tried and then I heard the guys come in and, well…I just couldn't," she tried to explain. "I probably need to drink more water."

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, ready to kill Mick and Ray for interrupting them.

"Hey Sara!" came Ray's cheery greeting from the living room. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she answered, forcing a bright smile and waving at him as she got a glass of water from the sink.

"You look fine, but Leonard said you're sick! What's wrong?" he asked, and Sara groaned.

"Right, uh…I was sick. But I'm okay now." Too late, she saw Leonard shaking his head from the other side of the kitchen, out of Ray's line of sight. "I mean…I'm not okay?"

"Mood swings," Ray mumbled as he typed into his phone, "and possible disorientation."

"What?" Sara asked, already having finished the first glass in record time and filling it again.

"Increased thirst," Ray added, studying her intently for a moment before looking back at his phone.

Before Leonard could explain to her how he'd been trying to get rid of them using her "illness" as an excuse, someone else knocked on their door.

"Would you look at this?" Len said dramatically, staring pointedly at his two most troublesome tenants as he crossed to the entryway. "This is how _normal_ people enter an apartment. They knock and then wait."

They both ignored him as he pulled open the door to find Caitlin Snow. "Oh hey, what's up?"

"I couldn't wait," she gushed, not even pausing for him to invite her in as she ducked under his arm. "Where's Sara? Did she take –"

She stopped short when she saw Sara vigorously shaking her head.

"Do come in, Snow," Leonard said, sighing. Now he had _three_ people to get rid of?

Caitlin took in the scene, pausing when she spotted Mick and Ray in the living room. "How is…everything?" she asked, hesitantly, trying to assess the situation.

"We don't know," Leonard said, stressing each word. "And neither do _they,_ " he added, glancing at Mick and Ray.

"There's a little pressure on _some_ of us," Sara said, as Caitlin grimaced in understanding.

"Hey, Caitlin," Ray waved from the couch. "You're just in time for the football game if you're interested. I brought a casserole!"

"Thanks, but I just ate," Caitlin said, as Ray's shoulders slumped. Then she noticed Mick Rory sitting on the couch, looking none too happy with her response. "Uh, but I'm still a little hungry. Those restaurants don't give you much."

"Great!" Ray jumped up from the couch and came back to the kitchen. "I almost forgot the garlic bread! It's not complete without that." He grabbed a loaf from the freezer and set the temperature on the oven.

"Did you actually have garlic bread stashed here?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, you guys are always out so I stocked you up."

Len didn't even care about Palmer's weird habits, he was just glad he'd forgotten about –

"Sara, I took the liberty of looking up your symptoms," Ray said somberly, as Leonard noticed he went to the correct drawer to find a serving spoon – clearly he spent _way_ too much time here. "Weirdly, the top result is coronary artery disease. You're a little young for that, but you should probably get checked out."

"She had a check-up with me this morning," Caitlin lied, noticing Sara's deer-in-the-headlights look. "Just a virus, Ray. She's recovered."

"Or is she?" Leonard jumped in. "Maybe it'll come back again. Like another wave…"

"No, I think I'm okay," Sara said, as Leonard shook his head and went over to her, subtly pushing her further into the back corner of the kitchen.

"I know you're not that dense, Lance. Which means you're using our guests – and I use that term lightly – as a way to stall."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, crossing her arms.

"Sure you don't. Now you've just had three glasses of water, so get back in there and just do it."

"Fine," she snapped, glancing around Len to find her friend. "Caitlin, can you come help me for a minute?"

"Sure, no problem." Caitlin followed her into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

"Why does Sara need help in the bathroom?" Ray asked, as he pulled out a baking sheet for the garlic bread. Mick had ambled over, too, searching the cupboards for snacks.

"I don't know," Len shrugged, "it's probably a girl thing, so why don't _you_ tell _me_ , Palmer?"

"So funny, Leonard. You're so funny. You're having some casserole, right?"

"I don't know if I'm that hungry," Len admitted, which was actually the truth. The longer he waited for Sara, the more his stomach felt tied in knots.

"You better watch out," Mick said, pointing at the closed bathroom door. "That could be trouble."

"Huh?" Len asked.

"Snow could steal your girl from you."

Oh for – could his partner be more absurd? That was…no, he wouldn't even entertain the insanity. "You're crazy."

"No, he has a point," Ray cut in. "Caitlin's super hot. I mean, so is Sara, of course –" Leonard just looked at him. "Not that I think of Sara _that_ way. But I mean Caitlin has that sexy scientist thing going on. Gotta love that."

"Yeah, sorry buddy," Mick slapped his partner on the back, "but your days are probably numbered. So enjoy it while it lasts. Although maybe if Snow was into it, you could convince her to –"

"Convince me to what?" Caitlin asked, stepping out of the bathroom.

"Nothing," Mick said, booking it back to the living room.

Leonard shook his head. "These two idiots think that you're going to 'steal' Sara away from me."

Caitlin started laughing at the very idea. "Oh come on. Like she'd ever choose _anyone_ over you? Though I gotta tell ya, Len, if I put some effort into it, I think I could give you a run for your money."

Len laughed a little, then sobered when he realized Caitlin wasn't laughing anymore. "Uh, good one?"

"Mmhmm," she said, turning to the fridge to find a drink.

He moved a little closer to her, making sure to keep his voice down since Palmer was right there at the oven. "Everything alright in there?"

Caitlin opened a Coke and sipped it. "She just wanted to talk for a minute. She's okay."

"You sure she doesn't need any help? I feel like I should…do something."

"I think you've done enough," she said, coolly, "haven't you Leonard?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" he exclaimed.

"Patience is a virtue," she said, sagely, which wasn't helpful at all because he certainly didn't feel patient at the moment.

He was about to go ask Sara if she was okay when more knocking came from the front door. "Oh come on!"

"It's me, open up!" Lisa shouted through the door. That was his sister – talk about impatient.

"And Cisco," another voice called.

Even better, two for the price of one. _What is this, the home for lost and wayward souls?_ Maybe if he waited, they'd just go –

"Hey guys, welcome," Ray said cheerfully, as he opened the door. "You're just in time for the game. I made a casserole."

"Hey Lis," Leonard sighed, as she barreled into the apartment with Cisco Ramon in tow.

"At least someone is polite around here," she said, grinning at Ray and entering the kitchen. She dropped a couple grocery bags of chips and other snack foods on the counter, as did Cisco.

Ray turned to Len. "You should fix the buzzer for this building, I've been telling you for months. It'd give you some notice when people came up."

"Wouldn't give me notice for _you_ though, so what's the point?"

"You didn't have to lease to me," Ray reminded him.

"I didn't," Leonard said, exasperated, "I leased to _Mick_! You know, for whatever good a 'lease' does since I've yet to see even a single month's payment."

"Hey," Mick yelled from the living room, "we're barely ever here, so what would I be paying for, exactly?"

"That kind of attitude is why we don't have cable right now!" Ray threw over his shoulder, as he started helping Cisco unpack the food they'd brought.

"Welcome home, Len," Lisa said, kissing his cheek. "We missed you."

"Yeah, welcome back man," Cisco said, going to pat Len on the shoulder before apparently thinking better of it and abruptly turning back to the food.

"Did you go shopping for me?" Len asked his sister.

"I went shopping for _Sara_ because based on the last few times I was here, you guys had nothing to eat."

He watched her open a bag of chips. "Yeah right. You didn't go shopping for Sara, you went shopping for _you_."

She pulled out a chip, eating it while staring him down. "And if I did?"

"Ooh you brought Doritos," Caitlin said, excited, as Ray looked at her and then the covered dish he'd brought that was still on the counter. "They'll go great with…the casserole."

"Where's Sara?" Cisco asked, as Len pointed toward the bathroom.

"Get out here, Sara!" Lisa yelled. "Don't make me suffer out here with my brother without you!"

There was a strange series of muffled thumps from the bathroom and they were just starting to get concerned when Sara quickly emerged. "Oh hey, more company, great!"

Leonard met her eyes, silently asking her a question and she just shrugged, helplessly. "Lance, can I see you in the bedroom for a second?"

"Really guys?" Lisa chided, "When you have an apartment full of company?"

"You – be quiet," Len said to his sister.

"Same to you two," Lisa begged. "Please. For my sanity."

Leonard really couldn't say anything to her when she was being this ridiculous. He grabbed Sara's hand, pulling her down the hallway to their bedroom before wheeling around on her. "What happened?"

"Well, the good news is, I did manage to take the test," she began, hesitantly. "The bad news is, when Lisa yelled, I knew I didn't have much time…so I kind of panicked and threw it in the trash?" she said it like a question, eyeing him nervously.

He tried to remain calm, since he could tell she was flustered, but… "The _trash_? That's the best you could come up with?"

"I had to hide it!" she wailed. "You know how they are, what if someone found it?"

"You could have taken it with you."

She stared at him a moment too long. "Ohhh. Yeah, I should have done that. But…I have no pockets!"

He really was torn between frustration and laughter. "Do you have _hands_?"

"Shut up. Look, it's still there. The trash was empty, so I had to cover it up so it wouldn't be obvious." Her expression turned optimistic. "When the coast is clear I'll slip back in and take it out. We have to wait a few more minutes, though."

"A few more minutes? By that time the entire West family will have shown up and probably even Allen himself. Do you see the circus going on out there? Where did they all get the idea that –" he paused when understanding flashed across Sara's face. "What did you do?"

"Okay, I completely forgot until just now that when I told people we were coming home, I mentioned the game was on today, so if they wanted to see us…"

"You _forgot_? We came home yesterday!"

"Don't blame me. It's…hormones. Or whatever. Maybe." Sara was getting worked up and Leonard had no idea why. Was she actually on the verge of tears? He instantly reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her up against him. He hoped this really did have something to do with hormones and not anything to do with what he'd said. If he'd driven her to tears…

"I'm sorry," he said. "You don't think I'm mad, do you? Because I'm not mad."

"I know you're not." She pushed him away, distressed. "What's wrong with me?!"

"You want a real answer to that?" he smirked, which had his intended effect as her frown disappeared and she playfully hit him.

"Funny."

"Everything's fine, this is easily fixed," Leonard assured her. "You get back into the bathroom and I'll distract them. That is, if I even have to – they all do a pretty good job of distracting themselves."

They made their way back to the kitchen and Sara made a beeline for the bathroom, only to find the door was shut. "Who's in there?"

"Ray, I think," Caitlin said. She looked like she was dying to say more, but was valiantly keeping her mouth shut. At least Snow knew the meaning of "discretion," Leonard would give her that (unlike certain _other_ people they knew).

"Hurry up, Ray," Sara shouted through the door.

"One second. Wait, don't you have another bathroom?" he called back.

" _Someone_ decided to renovate the one off our bedroom and it's been over two months," she said, directing that at Leonard.

Ray pulled the door open. "I love renovations! You'll do our apartment next, right?"

"Fine whatever," Leonard said, as Ray walked through the kitchen and – wait. "Is that the trash?"

Ray was, indeed, carrying a trash bag. "Oh yeah, it was weirdly full, like spilling over, so I'm taking it out for you guys. Whatever I can do for my landlord, right?"

"What _can_ you do for me?" Len asked, as if he were thinking it over and not pondering the many ways he'd like to kill Palmer at that moment. "Hmm, maybe paying rent would be nice."

"Yeah, wouldn't it?" Ray asked, as he left the apartment.

"Who takes out other people's trash? Who _does_ that?" Leonard muttered to himself, then looked over at Sara who just shook her head, helplessly. He watched as she pulled Caitlin aside, probably to fill her in, then rolled his eyes and tried to ignore Caitlin's bark of laughter a moment later. _This is not funny, Snow_. _So. Not. Funny._

"Ray's so thoughtful," Lisa said, checking on the garlic bread.

"Right, he's such a great guy," Cisco agreed, as he put chips into bowls. When Lisa came over to help, her arm brushed his and he quickly spun away. "Lisa, get off me!"

"I just touched your arm," she said, rolling her eyes, then glared at her brother. "See what you've done to him?"

"She's all over me," Cisco said, "I had nothing to do with it."

"We went over this, Ramon," Leonard told him, picking up one of the empty chip bags. "I don't care that you're dating my sister. It's if you hurt her that you'll be dead." He punctuated his words by suddenly popping the bag, causing Cisco to jump and chips to scatter all over the floor around them.

"You're mean," Cisco said, as Lisa helped him pick up the chips.

"Leonard," Sara came over and pinched him. Hard. "Stop harassing the nicest guy your sister's ever dated."

"It's my job as a brother," he insisted, though he knew she was right. Cisco was a pretty good guy, all things considered. Lisa had dated her fair share of losers, jerks, and outright psychos. If the worst he got stuck with was Ramon at family gatherings, he could live with that. If pressed, he might even admit he could be happy with it.

He knelt down to help gather the last of the chips. "Sorry."

"What was that?" Cisco cupped his hand over his ear. "I couldn't hear you."

"I said sorry," Leonard repeated, annoyed again already. See what he got for being nice? "I do actually approve of you, but don't make me regret it."

The only response he got from Cisco was a wide grin, which was fine – it was better than any attempts at a hug, at least.

When the others brought the bowls of chips back to the living room, Leonard seized the moment to ask Sara, "What now? Do you have to go buy another test?"

"The box came with two," she whispered. "The other one's still in the bathroom. I'll take it as soon as I can." She looked unhappily at the faucet before sighing and filling her glass with more water.

"Still overly thirsty?" Ray asked, as the others returned to the kitchen. "Viruses can do that to you."

"Oh no, you've been sick?" Lisa asked, sympathetically.

"It's not contagious, is it?" Cisco asked warily. "I only ask because I have a very delicate system and –"

"You can't catch this," Caitlin interrupted. "Believe me."

Three sharp raps at the door had them all pausing.

"You have got to be kidding me," Leonard complained. "Do we even _know_ anyone else?"

"An attitude like that is going to get Rip Hunter showing up at our door," Sara warned.

"Don't put ideas like that out into the world," Leonard shot back. "Not unless you hate me."

" _Not possible,"_ Sara mouthed to him. And even though his previous words had been a joke, he still swallowed at her response. Because it was so far removed from where he'd ever thought he'd be with anyone – never mind _her_ , Sara Lance, the gorgeous blonde he'd first spotted across a rooftop and thought, _What the hell is a girl like her doing here, thinking of joining a team like this?_

If he'd known then what he knew now, that one day in their not-far-off-future they wouldn't be able to imagine life without each other – that they might actually be having a _child of their own_ – well, he'd have been surprised, shocked even, but he also wouldn't have done things any differently.

Not a chance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed this so far, we appreciate the feedback! Are you wondering how many people Sara and Len can fit in their apartment? We still haven't found out. Expect anyone from the Flarrowverse at this point!

* * *

More knocking at the door drew Leonard out of his thoughts. Right, someone was still out there. _Damn_. Maybe if he grabbed Lance, they could make it out the back fire escape before –

Mick reached the door, opened it a crack and paused. "Did we invite you?"

"I know this is the right place," a vaguely familiar male voice said. "I'm looking for Sara Lance's apartment, which is 4C. And the door does, indeed, say 4C."

 _Will it never end?_ Leonard thought, rubbing his forehead in agitation. Whoever it was would serve as yet another obstacle between himself and the answer to a question he'd been waiting for since Sara had walked through the door.

Caitlin and Sara exchanged a glance, mirroring each other's expressions of surprise. As if spurred by a gunshot only they could hear, they both bolted for the door. Sara shoved Mick out of the way, struggling to pull the door open wider as Caitlin tried futilely to block her.

"Uh, Dr. Wells, hi!" Caitlin said brightly, as Sara elbowed her. "I told you to call me when you got here and I would meet you outside."

Sara finally managed to pull the door all the way open, and Caitlin stepped back in defeat.

"I thought it would be more polite to come up," Wells said, blinking at the fight between the two women. "Is this a bad time?"

"Yes, it's a very bad time!" Leonard tried, but of course no one was listening to him.

"No, not at all," Sara practically cheered, grabbing his arm and ushering him into the apartment. "It's a perfect time. Come in!" She turned to her friend. "Caitlin, you didn't tell me you were… _meeting up_ with Dr. Wells."

Caitlin tried to sound stern. "And this is why. I really think we should go." She dropped her voice to a whisper, gesturing to Sara. "You can call me later, about…"

Leonard had never heard a better suggestion. "Yes, you should go. As should everyone, I think! It's getting late." He motioned for Sara to back him up, but she wasn't paying attention to him. She was just grinning evilly at Caitlin, her expression nothing short of diabolical.

"It's barely 4 o'clock," Ray protested, waving cheerily to Wells.

"Zip it," Len hissed.

"We have plenty of time," Wells told Caitlin, ignoring everyone else. "It seems I may be intruding, though. If you want me to leave and come back –"

"No!" Caitlin exclaimed. "I mean, no, it's fine. I'm…glad you're here."

Leonard sighed – what the hell was happening?

"Have you met everyone?" Sara asked, as Wells nodded, stepping further inside to exchange greetings.

His eyes stopped on Cisco. "On second thought, maybe Snow was right the first time around. Maybe we _should_ go." He took a step back toward the door.

" _Yes,_ " Leonard sighed, glad that finally someone besides him saw reason.

"Nonsense!" Sara declared. She beat Wells to the door and kicked it shut, going so far as to lean back against it. "Stay for a few minutes. Have a snack."

"Alright," Wells agreed, if a bit warily.

Leonard moved across the room, eyeing Sara's face with suspicion. He knew that expression – that little grin. That was her _plotting_ face.

"What's going on?" he whispered, tugging her away from the door.

She spared him a quick glance before her eyes moved back to Caitlin and Wells, who were chatting with Ray. "What do you think of the two of them?" Her expression turned faraway, seeing something he obviously didn't.

"The two of…who?"

She nudged his side. "Caitlin. And Harrison Wells."

"What about them?" he asked, trying his best to reign in his exasperation.

"I think they should get together," she said, as if it were obvious and _he_ was the one that was missing the point.

"I know you're a closet romantic, Lance," he said (and she really was, he'd learned that soon after they got together), "but do you really think it's wise to try and set up your best friend with her boss? That could have disaster written all over it."

"It'd be fine," she insisted, gazing up at him. "You know how I know? I've seen him look at her the way you look at _me_."

Len glanced back over, and in a moment of perfect timing, he happened to catch exactly what Sara meant. There was something on the other man's face when he looked at the younger woman…a lightness? A happiness? As if Caitlin Snow was – _oh_.

"I know she likes him," Sara was saying, "but I'm pretty sure she thinks he would never…" she trailed off, becoming more frustrated. "She doesn't _see_ it."

He glanced down at Sara. "I really look at you like that?" He'd had no idea how easily he'd been giving himself away.

"Like I'm your world?" She wrapped her arm around his. "Yeah," she said softly, smiling at him. "And I love it."

And then suddenly she was tilting, eyes fluttering shut as her hand gripped his arm tighter for balance. His stomach dropped as his free hand grasped her waist. She wobbled a little more, eyes still shut, and he put his arm around her, steadying her finally. She pressed her face into his chest, grabbing at his shirt with a muffled " _Mmph._ "

"Are you alright?" he asked, fresh waves of anxiety washing over him.

"Just dizzy," Sara said, pulling away and trying to brush it off like it had been nothing.

"The sooner you take that test, the better," Leonard said, not letting go of her arm – just in case. "What if it's negative and there's…" _something else wrong_. He couldn't say it out loud.

"I'm probably just hungry," she deflected, but he saw the worry flash across her face, however briefly.

"How could you be hungry when you had lunch a couple hours ago?"

She huffed, looking away from him; he knew she always hated it when he was right. "We have an apartment full of guests," she said, ignoring his question. "We'd better go make sure they're doing okay and not, you know, about to kill each other."

"Okay, but as soon as you can sneak away, do it," Leonard agreed, reluctantly, as they walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Harry," Cisco was greeting Wells. "I didn't know you existed outside of the lab, never mind had the ability to interact with anyone."

"It's worth it," the older man said, eyes drifting over to Caitlin. "Sometimes." He cut his gaze back over to Cisco. "Though the downside is the risk of seeing _you_ , Ramon."

"I think I'm offended," Cisco replied, as Wells just looked at the ceiling, probably needing some patience – and Leonard could certainly relate to that.

"We're going to a conference tonight," Caitlin explained. "A _professional_ conference," she added, giving Sara a pointed look.

"Professional, hmm?" Sara's eyes moved between the two of them. " _How_ professional?"

Wells was obviously confused. "What do you –"

"We should get going!" Caitlin cut in over him, nodding at the door and shooting Sara a nervous glance. "Don't want to be late."

Wells checked his watch. "It doesn't start for another three hours."

"You came to get her three hours early?" Sara asked, barely holding back a grin.

Wells nodded, as if that weren't unusual at all. "I figured we'd go to dinner, of course."

"Oh, _of_ course." Sara looked meaningfully at Caitlin, who in turn was looking anywhere else but at her friend.

"Why go out when you can eat here?" Ray suggested. "I made a –"

"Casserole," everyone said, simultaneously, except for Wells.

"That's kind of you, thanks," Wells told him. "But we don't want to ruin our appetite."

Ray looked crestfallen.

"Really," Mick insisted, "try some. You don't want to be impolite by refusing food that someone's gone to so much trouble making, do you?"

Wells raised his eyebrows at the thinly veiled threat, glancing at Caitlin for a moment before turning back to the others. "Right. You know what they say, nothing serves as an appetizer quite like a…heavy casserole."

"Right," Caitlin cleared her throat. "I've heard that saying. Before."

"Great," Ray said, perking up just as the oven started beeping. "Perfect, the garlic bread's done. Let's eat!"

Sara and Leonard hung back in the kitchen as everyone helped themselves to plates of food and moved to the living room to watch the game.

"I think this is going well," Sara said, hopping up onto the kitchen island in front of him.

"Depends on what you mean by 'well'," Leonard said, sarcastically. In his book, "well" did not include everyone they knew interrupting (what could be) one of the most important moments of their lives.

"Our friends are here and they're happy. We're happy. _That's_ going 'well', Leonard. We've both had far too many days where that wasn't the case."

He stepped between her legs and pulled her closer. "You're right," he agreed, "but I'm still worried about you. They're probably busy enough now that they won't even notice if you disappear…"

"To the bedroom?" she asked, hopefully.

He merely shook his head.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Yeah, I know. I'll go do it now. Just keep them away if you can."

"Good luck to me with that," he teased, glad when she grinned up at him. Anxious though he was, he couldn't stand the worry he'd seen on her face all day. He stepped back so she could hop down.

"You should eat," she suggested. "Did you know Ray made a casserole?"

He mimicked throwing one of the empty plates at her as she laughed and shut the bathroom door.

* * *

Sara leaned back against the door, taking a deep breath and steeling herself. She'd already done this once (damn Ray!) so she knew she could do it again. And this time she'd get a real answer.

She opened the medicine cabinet, frowning when there was no test inside. Oh wait, she'd thought about hiding it under the towels, too – she turned to the stack on the shelf and rummaged through them. Nothing. She paused, racking her brain to try and remember…

Okay, Lisa had yelled so she'd panicked and thrown the used one in the trash. Then she'd needed to stash the second one but hadn't wanted to put it in the trash in case she ended up needing it later, (because what if it got contaminated or…something?). So she'd _definitely_ put it in the medicine cabinet. She pivoted. Or under the towels.

Well, obviously she hadn't done either since it wasn't in either place. Had she accidentally thrown it away while trying to hide the used one in the trash? Or had it fallen? She scanned the floor, but there was nothing around the shelf or under the medicine cabinet.

What if…someone had taken it?

No, that was stupid, who among their friends would see an unused pregnancy test and then steal it from their bathroom? Though their friends often did strange things, so she probably shouldn't put anything past them by now…

Leonard was going to _love_ hearing about this one.

* * *

The door opened again much too soon, Leonard thought; he hadn't even finished making his plate yet.

"I didn't take it," she said, before he could question her. She looked over to make sure everyone was still in the living room. "I couldn't find it."

He tried to process what she was saying. "You couldn't _find_ it?"

"Is there an echo in here?" She grabbed a fork from the drawer and took a bite of casserole. "Hey, that's pretty good."

"Unfortunately, it is," he agreed. Off Sara's confused look he added, "It's one less thing I can harass Palmer about."

"As if you needed more things?"

"Let's get back to what's important here – where did the test go? This isn't _The Twilight Zone_. And last I checked, our apartment doesn't lead to a black hole."

"I have no idea," she fretted. "I looked both places that I'd thought about hiding it and it's gone. Maybe someone took it?"

"Caitlin wouldn't do that," he said, "and none of the guys would have reason to. I hope. So that leaves…" Dawning horror hit him like a freight train. "You don't think Lisa…?"

"No, I don't think she would." Sara paused, contemplating. "Unless…she thought it was a leftover test I never used? If she was panicked enough because she thought she might be, then maybe… But still, I think you'd buy your own!"

"What if she saw the opportunity and couldn't resist? She _was_ raised to steal!" Leonard felt an unsettling feeling wash over him and was barely able to choke out his next words: "What if Cisco Ramon knocked up my sister?!"

Sara kept her expression carefully blank, but her eyes were laughing when she said (quite cruelly in his opinion), "Then you and Cisco would share a blood relative."

"Not helping, Lance, not helping!"

"Who said I was trying to help?"

Leonard wasn't sure what to do, but he knew he couldn't sit there and wait. "I'm getting to the bottom of this," he declared, taking a step toward the living room.

Sara immediately jumped in front of him. "No you are not. Not unless you want to give everything away about why _we_ needed that test."

Leonard battled with his emotions, trying desperately to reign them in. "Fine," he relented. "I'll just…hint at it."

Sara sighed as he moved around her before she could stop him. "You know," she whispered, catching up to him right before the living room, "you seem more concerned with Lisa maybe being –" she hesitated, before continuing, "than you are with _me_."

"That's my sister," he said, studying Lisa and Cisco, who were cuddled up together on one of the loveseats. "With you, I have nothing to worry about. I already know I'm always going to be there for you." He shifted his gaze to her. "No matter what."

Her expression changed and there was something in it that he couldn't quite place. Before he could ask her about it, she launched forward and kissed him, deeply, to the point that he regretted their company even more than he had before (if that were possible).

A cheer went up from the living room and he looked over, thinking for a second they were sarcastically cheering for him and Sara, but luckily it was just a touchdown in the game.

And there was Ramon, whispering to his sister.

"How well do we really know him?" he asked as he turned back to Sara. "It could be a lot of pressure. What if he tries to run?" He narrowed his eyes, glancing over at Cisco again. "I'll kill him if he tries to run."

"You are imagining scenarios that will never happen. She probably had nothing to do with the test going missing. So drop it, okay? After everyone leaves I'll just…go buy another one."

Leonard ran his hands over his face. "Why is this my _life_?"

Sara brushed her hand against his sympathetically and then joined their friends in the living room, taking a seat between Ray and Wells on the couch. Caitlin was perched on the arm of a chair near Wells and Mick was in the back armchair, somehow looking like a part of the group while also being removed from it.

Everyone was more or less following the game, with a few side conversations going on, but Leonard only had eyes for Lisa as he took a seat in the armchair adjacent to her and Cisco. "So sis…how ya doing?"

"Fine," she said, absently. Cisco had tried to move away from her when Leonard spoke, but Lisa firmly grabbed his arm to keep him in place. Leonard stared at where they were touching and then met Cisco's eyes – the other man's gaze silently insisting that it was all Lisa's doing and not his.

"You sure, Lis?" Leonard prodded.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, irritated, finally glancing away from the TV. Okay, maybe it wasn't normal for them to inquire about each other's health, but he had to get to the bottom of this. And besides wasn't he allowed to care?

"No reason. Just wanted to make sure you were alright in my absence. That you're being taken care of." The last was aimed at Cisco, who squirmed uncomfortably at the indirect interrogation.

"I can take care of myself, Lenny," she said.

Unbidden, visions of her struggling as a single mother filled his head. "Well, you have me, you know. Always. And if certain people aren't…doing right by you, then you just tell me and I'll set them straight."

She tilted her head at him, opened her mouth as if to speak, and then shook off whatever she might say, going back to the game. Damn it. Why was it so hard to get answers around here? To _anything_?

"This really is excellent," Wells told Ray, motioning to his plate.

"Told you he was a great cook," Mick beamed, as everyone voiced their agreement.

"What's your secret?" Cisco asked.

"Not to brag," Ray said cockily, "but a little thing I like to call the Food Network." He glared at Mick. "Too bad I can't watch it at the moment."

Mick just rolled his eyes and kept eating, so Ray turned to complaining about something else.

"Our dishwasher's acting up again," he told Sara. "That's the third time in as many months!"

"Just buy a new one," Leonard said. "Deduct it from the list of all the things you owe me."

"It'll take a week to be delivered! I suppose in the meantime I'm supposed to wash dishes by hand?" Ray said smartly, sending another look at Mick as if to say, _Can you believe him_?

Len had had it – if this was the end of his rope, they were lucky he wasn't trying to strangle any of them with it. "Maybe I'll just evict you, how about that?"

Ray was about to laugh until he saw the serious expression on Len's face. "We both know you wouldn't do that."

Len leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and staring Ray down. "Do we know that? _Do we_?"

"Sara," Ray said, quickly switching tactics, "can you believe this? He wants to put me out on the street!"

"Len," she sighed.

"Don't 'Len' me. You have to put up with them as much as I do."

"They're our friends," she scolded. "They'll always have a home here."

"This _is_ a nice building," Cisco put in, looking admiringly at the high ceilings. "Is it rent-controlled? We've been looking for a new place –"

"No!" Lisa snapped, "Don't give him any ideas. He'd be over all the time to 'check on us'."

"Yeah, but if it's rent-controlled…" Cisco said, insistent.

"You seem to think I can't give you space," Leonard told his sister. "When all I ever want is _more_ space. Between me and everyone else." He pointed at Sara. "Except for you." She blew him a kiss in response.

Mick was talking up the building to Cisco. "Most of it's been completely redone and a lease is up at the end of the month, a two bedroom right next to mine."

"Ours," Ray said, absently.

"Ours," Mick relented. "The point is, we could be neighbors."

"You can all move to Star City and still be neighbors with us," Leonard tried. " _Long distance_ neighbors." Yeah, he liked that idea. "Don't be surprised to see the sheriff serving you with an eviction notice, Palmer."

Ray had given up even talking to him, addressing the room at large. "Fine, guess I'll go…live under a bridge. Does anyone have a cardboard box I can take with me when I leave? That'll be my new home."

Wells abruptly looked over at him. "Aren't you a billionaire?"

"Not anymore," Ray protested.

"Sorry to hear it," Wells said.

"Wait for it," Leonard muttered.

"I'm only worth about 800 million now," Ray continued.

"In other words," Len said, directly to Wells, "he could buy an entire _block_ of Central City. So me evicting him would hardly leave him homeless."

"It's not about the money," Ray said, looking around the room thoughtfully. "You know, in my thirty-something years, I have come to a much deeper realization – the _true_ wealth in life has nothing to do with material things. It has to do with family…and friends."

 _He couldn't be serious. Was anyone actually buying –_

Leonard looked around in growing dismay as he saw the others transfixed by Ray's little speech. Wells was nodding, Snow had her hand pressed over her heart – even Cisco and Lisa looked impressed! He glanced at Sara and – was she on the verge of _crying_?

"I don't believe this," Leonard sighed.

Mick seemed the least affected and Len tried to catch his gaze so they could commiserate. He probably couldn't take the sappiness, either. At least someone around here was –

His partner abruptly raised his beer, saying gruffly, "Truer words, Palmer. Truer words. I think this calls for a toast."

Everyone murmured in agreement and they _actually started toasting_ and Leonard really, _really_ wanted to tear his hair out. "You're all serious?" he burst out. "A couple words about having friends and suddenly I can't evict him?"

Sara scowled at him and then turned to Ray. "Tell you what, if Leonard ever dares to kick you out, you'll always have a place here." She patted the leather cushion between them. "On this very couch."

"Well, Sara, this couch is a little too short for me to sleep on. But I appreciate the sentiment," Ray said, tapping his water bottle against hers.

"Alright, you win," Leonard snapped. "If my alternative is having you in my living room every morning, then I'd much rather you be in your own apartment. Where you live for free. As a billionaire – sorry," he said, right as Ray was about to speak, "800 millionaire."

"I'll pay your property taxes this year," Ray said, waving him off, and Len actually paused since that would mean he paid more than he owed in a year's rent.

"I'd like to add that everyone's all worried about where Palmer would live yet no one thinks twice about me," Mick muttered (as if he were really concerned about that – he was probably just looking for something to complain about).

"I'd never let you be homeless," Ray swore, throwing a grin over to Mick, as everyone settled back into watching the game. Even Leonard found himself being drawn in against his will.

"Uh…" Wells began hesitantly, a short time later, catching Leonard's attention from the couch opposite. "I think that…"

Len followed his gaze to Sara, who was definitely falling asleep between Wells and Ray on the couch. She'd tipped over, in fact, and her head was on Wells' shoulder. The older man was clearly at a loss.

"Sara," Len whispered. Wells tapped her hand and she abruptly sat up, disoriented, looking between him and Wells. Len held his arm out in invitation to join him and she got up, swaying a little before making it across the room to him, curling up next to him in the oversized armchair and almost immediately falling back to sleep.

Lisa was the only other one who'd seemed to notice, and Len just shrugged at her. "We had a long night. And day."

"We don't need to hear it," she said, quickly, as Leonard just shook his head and went back to the game.

* * *

An insistent banging at the door startled Sara awake.

As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she noticed that everyone was glancing around at each other, as if silently asking who else it could possibly be (if they only knew – Sara had quite the list). Yet none of them were making any move to go and answer it. _Figures._

She lurched to her feet, pretty sure she was still half-asleep, and made her way to answer before whoever it was broke the damn thing down. She dimly registered Leonard behind her yelling at whoever it was to " _Go away!_ " right before she twisted the handle, and that was when it burst open so forcefully she actually had to jump back. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Leonard leaping to his feet, prepared to fight –

"Surprise!" two voices yelled, simultaneously. It was Felicity Smoak and Thea Queen, descending upon her, each hugging her one-armed around the neck.

"Hi guys," she said, a little confused. The newcomers waved and greeted everyone, though Caitlin was the only one who tore herself away from the TV to come over.

"Nice place!" Thea exclaimed, taking it in and then giving Leonard an exaggerated thumbs up. "I told her dating a criminal would have its perks."

"What are you doing here?" Sara asked them, looking back at Leonard, who'd relaxed with the threat gone – but he was now glaring at the door like it had personally offended him and was somehow responsible for their myriad of visitors.

"Girls' weekend!" Thea cried, her voice awfully high. "Wanted to get out of town, get a little change of scenery, see the sights, explore the nightlife. And," she added, fishing through the large tote on her shoulder. "Look what we brought!" She held out a bottle of –

"Is that tequila?" Sara asked.

"Yup!" Thea grinned.

"It's empty," Caitlin pointed out.

"It was a long ride here," Thea said, tossing the empty bottle at Leonard who caught it out of reflex and then went over to set it on the kitchen counter.

"Thea's going through a break-up," Felicity told Sara. "Didn't you get my texts?"

"Um," Sara grimaced.

"She's been a little busy this afternoon," Caitlin said, in her defense.

Sara nodded in affirmation. "That explains why you guys are in Central City, but why are you _here_? Not that you're not always welcome, of course – wait," she grabbed Felicity's arm. "Did I invite you guys, too?"

"Uh, no," Felicity laughed, looking at Sara a little sideways. "Have you been drinking as much as Thea?"

Sara just sighed, shaking her head. She really hoped she was pregnant, because otherwise she was definitely losing it.

Her thoughts froze around that one word: _Pregnant_. She hadn't been able to even think the word before now… what did that mean? _Did_ she hope she was pregnant? Damn it, where was that test when she needed it?

"Yeah that's right, touchdown!" Thea yelled, throwing her hands in the air.

"That's the opposing team," Cisco pointed out, as Thea just shrugged.

"Thea decided to start drinking on the train," Felicity said, disapprovingly. "And never stopped. Don't get me wrong, we wanted to see you, but I also figured we could stay here for a couple hours, let her sober up a bit before we hit the bars."

"Let me fix you a drink!" Mick said, as they looked over to see him mixing something for Thea at the counter.

"So much for that," Felicity mumbled.

"Why are there _no good men_?" Thea was asking the room at large. "And why do the few good ones leave? Or die on you just when you think that you might have something good going on?"

"I've been there, girl," Lisa said, pulling Thea down next to her as she wallowed in the drink Mick handed her.

Sara turned back to Felicity. "How did you even know we would be here?"

"Well, I was texting Cisco for recommendations on good bars in the area, and he said you guys were home, so here we are! And I got you a little gift," she added, letting herself into the kitchen and setting down – was that a ficus? – on the counter. Sara had been so distracted by their unexpected arrival that she hadn't even noticed it.

"Thanks," Sara said, twisting the pot around to study it.

"I agree with Thea, by the way. You have a nice place." Felicity took off her coat, looking around at the apartment. "A little sparsely decorated, but..." she patted the ficus, "this will help spruce things up a bit."

Sara thought that was rich, coming from Felicity. " _This_ is sparsely decorated? I've seen your place in Star City. You literally bought a bed, a couch, and decided to call it a day."

"You try getting Oliver to agree on buying anything," Felicity lamented, before remembering who she was talking to. "Oh wait, I'm sure you know the pain of that firsthand."

"Yeah let's not take that particular trip down memory lane," Leonard suggested, coming over to stand behind Sara – a little protectively, she thought, leaning back into him.

Felicity looked between the two of them. "Now I know it's a lot to take care of…" she began, seriously.

"What?" Sara asked, stomach dropping as her thoughts turned to the test she'd lost. Did Felicity suspect...?

"The plant," Felicity clarified, pointing at it. "But I figured you and Leonard could probably manage to keep it alive. At least for a little while."

"You think we'd let it _die_?" Sara asked, voice breaking on the last word, unsure why her eyes were getting watery, but they were. If she couldn't even take care of a _plant_ then how was she ever going to care for another human being? No, she thought vehemently, she could take care of this plant, with Leonard's help. It would flourish here; it would be the healthiest plant that had ever –

"Uh…do you guys have something against plants?" Felicity asked. "I can take it with me when I leave –"

"No," Sara snapped, pulling it closer. It really was a nice plant. "It's ours now, you can't take it back."

Leonard put a hand on Sara's shoulder. "I think it'll be fine," he told her.

"I was just joking about keeping it alive," Felicity said slowly, seeming to sense something was off. "It's not a big deal if you kill it –"

Sara gasped.

"– you can just throw it out –"

Sara covered her mouth with her hands.

"– and go buy another one," Felicity finished.

Sara was aghast. "You think we could do that? Just go out and _buy another one_?"

Wells had come into the kitchen to set his plate in the sink. "Those things? Looks like a ficus lyrata. You can get them anywhere. They're like thirty bucks."

"Why would I want another one?" Sara asked him, increasingly upset. "It wouldn't be _this one_."

Wells looked at her, then at the plant, then back to her. "Okay," he said, carefully.

"I'll be back out in a minute," Caitlin told him, as he nodded and left, passing Thea on her way in.

"Told you we should have brought wine," she told Felicity accusingly, gesturing to Sara and waving her glass around wildly.

"I might have if I didn't think you'd _drink it_ between the store and here."

"You act like I have no self-control," Thea complained, downing the last of her drink. She opened the fridge, reaching for a beer, but Leonard pulled her back and handed her a bottle of water instead.

"Finish that first," he ordered.

"Whatever, dad," she grumbled, though she opened the water and sipped it.

 _Dad._ That one word alone was enough to make Sara think she would burst out crying, right then and there.

"I don't need you passing out on my couch, Queen," he told her, sharply.

"Unfortunately, that might be where the night's going," Felicity said, sighing as Thea chugged her water. "Sorry guys."

"We'll get her sobered up," Sara said, reaching over to hug Felicity. And then she just couldn't let go. "Thank you for the plant," she added, choked up.

"Yeah, uh, if I'd known you'd love it this much I would have shipped you one in the mail or something." Felicity patted her on the back as Sara finally let her go. "Are you okay?"

Sara nodded, wiping her eyes. "Yeah," she said, "I'm okay. Everything will be okay."

Felicity still looked suspicious, but she said nothing more than, "Okay… I'm glad to hear it."

"Sara!" Thea shouted, suddenly, her bottle of water forgotten. She rushed over to her, open mouthed and staring. "Your boobs look fantastic!"

"What?" Sara didn't quite follow.

Thea grabbed Sara by the arms, eyes fixed on her chest. "Seriously, what kind of bra are you wearing?" she asked, still gaping. "That's some kind of black magic."

"Thea, stop! What are you talking about?"

"Don't be coy," Thea chided. "Look!" She moved until she and Sara were standing side by side. "Our boobs have always been the same," she said, "and now you've got like a full cup size on me!" She gestured between their chests. Sara glanced down between them, frowning. Indeed, hers were looking larger than Thea's.

"That can't be right," she muttered.

"Oh!" Caitlin gasped, covering her mouth as Sara met her with a scrutinizing gaze. _She's not really thinking that means I'm…is she?_

"I know, we were boob twins!" Thea continued, oblivious to the exchange. "Our twins were twins! But now yours are looking more like Busty's over there." She gestured to Felicity, who just shrugged.

"Yes, I know I'm well endowed," Felicity said, somewhat dismissively. "Always have been."

Thea turned back to Sara. "So tell me your secret. Come on, spill it."

Her secret? Sara was starting to sweat. She looked helplessly to Caitlin, silently begging her to intervene.

"Uh, Thea! Have you had some casserole?" Caitlin asked, pulling the younger woman over to the island. Felicity followed ("It _does_ smell good, who made this?"), and as she moved aside, Sara noticed Leonard standing there, arms crossed and frowning, staring at her chest with sharp scrutiny.

"Hey, that was not an invitation to leer," Sara joked, trying to defuse the situation. It didn't work.

"Drunky McQueen has a point," he muttered, so only she could hear. "You do look different."

"I'm just wearing an extra-padded bra today, that's all," she said, defensively. _Right?_

"No you're not," he countered. "I watched you get dressed."

She had to suppress a smirk at that. "Then you must have been quite distracted," she teased. "It's just padding."

He pulled her off to the hallway so they could have some privacy, his body blocking her from the view of anyone in the kitchen.

"No," he insisted, "it's not." He slipped a hand under her shirt. "Lace," he confirmed. "No padding. Whatsoever." His thumb brushed over the sheer fabric, just to prove his point. She shivered. He was right; there was virtually no barrier between his hand and her skin.

Her head spun at the implication. _He really thinks that I'm…_

"Unless you plan on seeing that through, hands off," she said when she could find her voice again, swatting his hand away. "Thea is drunk and your imagination is on overdrive."

"Is it?" he asked, still staring at her intently, and she fidgeted under his scrutiny.

"Uh, guys?" They spun around to see Caitlin, standing tentatively a few feet away. "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might want this." She held out – _the missing test._

"Where did you find that?" Sara gaped.

"I grabbed a new towel and spotted it in back of the shelf. I took it so no one else would see it and suspect…"

"I went crazy looking for that," Sara said, gratefully taking it.

"Sorry," Caitlin told her, as Sara waved her off to indicate it was fine.

Sara glanced at Leonard, expecting him to be annoyed. Instead, he just seemed relieved. "I guess this means…" she began.

"Please, for my sanity, take it now," he pleaded.

"As if I could put it off any longer," Sara tried to joke. _Famous last words_. She should know better than to say that kind of thing, tempting the universe after everything they'd already –

"Sara!" Thea cried from the kitchen, clearly distressed. "I need you right now, it's an emergency!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** We know there's been a lot of suspense, but we promise Sara and Len will find out if she's pregnant eventually ;) Originally, this story idea was supposed to be a one shot - then we thought, three chapters, tops. Guess this is what happens when we team up - but don't blame us, blame the characters for being too much fun! Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading so far - we appreciate the support!

* * *

Sara barely had a chance to shove the pregnancy test in the back waistband of her pants before Thea came barreling down the hallway.

 _Just pretend it's a knife,_ she thought, trying to clear the surprise and panic from her face before Thea noticed – not that Thea was noticing much right now.

"Sara's not available," Leonard tried, glaring at Thea as she rushed by. She completely ignored him and Caitlin, grabbing Sara by the hand and dragging her to the bedroom.

"Thea, wait," Felicity called, following after them.

"I'll be right back," Sara said over her shoulder. She got once last glimpse of Leonard's strangled expression, eyes screaming _Come on, really?_ before Thea slammed the door shut.

"What's the big emergency?" Sara asked, watching as Thea rustled through her overnight bag. How was it possible to feel this annoyed and relieved at the same time? Much as she knew she needed to take the test, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little thankful for the diversion.

"It is absolutely vital," Thea began seriously, not looking up as she littered the floor with clothes, shoes and a curling iron, "that you help me drink this, right now." With a victorious tug, she liberated a bottle of vodka from her bag, holding it up with a smirk.

Felicity froze in the middle of collecting loose socks from the floor. "Seriously, Thea?" she sighed. "I'm cutting you off. We'll never make it to the bars at this rate."

"Your boys hooked me up," Thea said, triumphantly twisting off the cap.

"What boys?" Felicity demanded. "If Ray Palmer is one of them, so _help_ that man –"

"No way, you are not getting it out of me that easily," Thea swore, adamantly. "I told Mick and Ray I wouldn't…" she stopped, face falling. "Uh oh."

"He's dead," Felicity hissed.

"Felicity's like a wizard the way she can get me to reveal things," Thea whispered to Sara, giggling, before she abruptly stopped. "But she's such a buzzkill when she wants to be."

"I'm a _what_?" Felicity asked, sharply.

"You heard me," Thea shot back, fishing some red Solo cups from a side pocket of her bag – she practically had a fully operational bar in there, Sara thought, impressed.

"This is why I need _you_ ," Thea pointed at Sara as she made her way to the dresser to set up her contraband.

"I'm standing right here," Felicity said, offended.

"Why do you need me to help _you_ drink vodka?" Sara folded her arms and watched as Thea started pouring vodka into one of the cups – at least _most_ of it made it into the cup.

"Because!" Thea cried, like that was answer enough.

"Because…" Sara prodded.

"You're my favorite drinking buddy," Thea said, as if it were obvious. "I know you can keep up with me and still be with it enough to ensure I make appropriately questionable decisions instead of terrible ones."

"You need a babysitter with a high tolerance, huh? Guess you came to the right girl," Sara grinned. _Wait_ – _babysitter.._. _baby._ The grin slid right off her face as she remembered the pregnancy test sticking into her back.

Thea peered inside her Solo cup. "How much do you think is a shot's worth in these? It's hard to tell." Instead of waiting for an answer, she shrugged and poured some more.

"Thea, no one wants a glass of vodka," Felicity scolded. "Except maybe you."

"Fine," Thea said, tipping some vodka from her cup into the two other ones she'd set up. "Happy?"

"No!" Felicity shouted.

"Where'd your water go?" Sara tried. "You should finish that and take a break for a little while."

"There is no way I can take a break now," Thea laughed, capping the vodka bottle ( _thank God for small favors_ ) and tossing it onto the bed. "Not when the only available men in this apartment are Ray and Mick. And Wells I guess, but it seems like he has a weird thing for Caitlin – he keeps _looking_ at her."

"It's not weird, it's sweet," Sara protested. "Wait, you see it, too?! You gotta tell Caitlin that."

"Tell Caitlin what?" Thea asked, squinting at the side of her cup as she held it up to the light.

Sara ran her hands through her hair and tried not to scream. It figured her ally here would be too out of it to even remember a 10 second conversation, never mind back her up when it counted. She snapped her fingers at the younger girl. "Thea, pay attention – this is important."

"Nothing can be more important than drinking this vodka," Thea protested. "Then I can forget about the past week where my boyfriend decided he didn't want me anymore – no, let me correct that, he still wanted me, he just wanted lots of other women on the side, too."

"You know there are more men in Central City than the handful in this apartment, right?" Felicity asked. "We can find you a whole slew of them in a couple of hours. This isn't a sitcom where your love interests are limited to the group of people you already know."

Sara frowned at that, glancing at Felicity; the other woman appeared to be thinking over what she'd said, too, before shaking her head.

"It's still early," Sara cajoled. "If you guys stay here for a little bit, you can go out later when –"

"Dammit Sara, there's no time for that!" Thea slammed her fist on the dresser and downed whatever ungodly amount she'd put in her cup. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides…I thought they were kind of cute even before all this drinking."

Sara was genuinely confused. "Are you talking about Ray? Or Mick?"

"Why not both?" Thea asked.

"Thea!" Felicity gasped. "You wouldn't actually sleep with my ex-boyfriend?"

Thea tried to drink from her cup again, frowning when she remembered it was empty. " _You_ broke up with _him_ ," she reminded her. "And you're in another relationship, so he's fair game. Girl code."

Felicity put her hand to her forehead in dismay. "Okay, that is so not girl code. And as for Mick, he's like twice your age!"

"Nobody complains about Sara and Leonard," Thea protested. "At least not anymore."

Was it Sara's imagination or did Felicity look suddenly nervous? "That's because they fit so well together," Felicity said quickly. "They just…make sense."

"That's not what you used to say," Thea accused. "You used to say Leonard Snart was a degenerate criminal and –"

"Have some more vodka, Thea," Felicity said, grabbing the vodka bottle from the bed and shoving it back into the younger girl's hands.

"Just when it was starting to get interesting," Sara said, trying to sound disapproving, though she was mostly amused.

"I'm sorry," Felicity mumbled. "We used to worry that…"

"I know," Sara said gently, unable to keep up the act when Felicity was genuinely sorry. "And it's okay. I can't really complain when I know you guys only worried because you care."

"Plus Felicity has no room to judge," Thea broke in. "She's dated her fair share of deger…gener…" she stumbled over the word, as nothing she said was clear anymore, before giving up. "Her share of bad guys. Remember the hacker who tried to blow up the world?"

"He did that long _after_ I broke up with him," Felicity said, defensively. "And the point that Thea's completely missing is we learned pretty quickly that Leonard has changed. More or less."

"Yeah, he's still a criminal," Thea said, "which I'm sure you don't even mind because it's pretty hot. But now he's a criminal for good! Mostly. Right?"

"That's one way to put it," Sara said, thinking Thea's definition of "hot" could spell trouble – especially if they let her have free reign in Central City.

"We also decided it was better not to complain within a few hundred miles of where Leonard might learn about it," Felicity joked.

"Maybe you're afraid of him, but I could take him," Thea declared, from where she'd fallen back on the bed and was staring at the ceiling. She suddenly sat up. "Weren't we going to do shots?"

"I think you've done enough for all of us tonight," Felicity said.

"No, we have to do them for real," Thea insisted. "Then I'm going to get out there and chat up the single guys in this apartment."

"Including Wells?" Felicity asked. "Because I think his interest lies elsewhere."

"That's what I've been saying!" Sara said, marking another one in the win column for herself. "Mention that to Caitlin, will you?"

"She doesn't know?" Felicity asked, surprised.

"Dr. Wells might be a little too old for me," Thea interrupted their conversation, "but he owns S.T.A.R. Labs, right? That means he's really rich?" Her eyes took on a dreamy quality.

"Ray's really rich, too," Sara pointed out, as Felicity shot her a sharp look. "What, I'm just saying!"

"Oh yeah, he's a billionaire," Thea said, excitedly.

"800 millionaire," Sara corrected.

"He could keep me in style," Thea nodded, tilting her head in thought. "Then again, Mick would probably steal a lot of stuff for me."

"Thea…" Felicity warned.

Sara wondered if it was evil that she was having too much fun egging this on – and truth be told, if Thea were sober, she wouldn't be. But knowing she was drunk and this would never go anywhere ( _hopefully_ ) just encouraged her to keep going for the amusement of it. "The real question is: would they break up with each other for you?"

Felicity's eyes widened. "Wait, what? They're not…?"

"At this point, they might as well be," Sara said, thinking of the many, many times she'd caught them doing questionably couple-y things. "Did you know they call each other when they're going to be out late? And even that's pretty rare because usually wherever one is, the other one's there, too."

"Hmm," Thea said, obviously thinking about it for a minute before nodding. "Oh yeah, I could be a fan of that. Definitely. Mama's on board, ladies!"

"See what you're doing?" Felicity hissed to Sara. "When the three of them end up in some kind of bizarre three-way relationship, I hope you remember that the origins of it will be traced back to this very moment."

"That won't happen," Sara laughed, before glancing at Thea. "I don't think?"

"Sara's on my side," Thea reminded Felicity, as she poured another shot into her cup. "She only wants me to be happy."

"And here I thought she wanted to aggravate me," Felicity said, frowning at Sara's laughter.

Thea grabbed the two other cups she'd poured, holding them out. "Take them before I drop them," she threatened, as the other two exchanged a look and did so.

"I really don't –" Sara began.

"Cheers!" Thea exclaimed, holding up her drink and looking at Sara expectantly, waiting for her to do the same.

"Uh," Sara stuttered, stalling. "You know, I'm actually not feeling that great. I've uh, been…sick. So, I probably shouldn't be drinking." She set her cup down.

"Nonsense!" Thea argued, grabbing the cup and forcing it back into Sara's hands. "You look great. Honestly, you're glowing. Here's to your good health!" She raised her cup again, putting it to her lips and tilting it back – until she realized Sara wasn't doing the same. "I said _drink_ , woman!"

Who knew Thea could be so scarily forceful? Sara glanced at Felicity, trying to hide the panic she felt bubbling up her throat.

"You can't force her to drink, Thea," Felicity came to her rescue. "Not everyone's goal is to wake up blacked out in a stranger's apartment."

"Come _on_ , Lance, don't be a wimp," Thea whined.

"I'm sorry, I just don't feel well," Sara insisted, setting the cup down again.

"I've literally never seen you turn down a drink before," Thea complained. "What, are you pregnant?" She rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink.

Sara felt her jaw drop and her forehead crinkle as she struggled to find words. All of a sudden she felt very light-headed, and was the room – tilting? _Oh, maybe it is_ , she thought, distantly, as Felicity lunged to grab her arm.

"Oh my God," Thea spit out her drink. " _You're pregnant_?!"

Sara took a deep breath, stomach turning at the shock and concern she saw on her friends' faces.

"I don't know," she said, finally. For some reason, the words came out sounding almost…guilty.

"What do you mean you _don't know_?" Thea cried, as Felicity helped Sara over to sit on the bed.

"I mean…" Sara reached back to pull out the unused pregnancy test, showing it to the other women. "I've been trying to take this all afternoon, and, things – _people_ – keep getting in the way."

"Oh, my, God!" Felicity downed the vodka Thea had poured for her, then marched over to the dresser to throw back Sara's, too, before returning to the bed. "Oh my God," she repeated, much more gently. "You might be pregnant?"

"Yeah," Sara admitted, the word coming out in a little whoosh. It made her dizzy all over again to even think it. "What were the shots for? It's not like you," she let out a little laugh.

"If my mom finds out there was ever even a _chance_ you were preggo, she'd be all over me about when Oliver and I are finally going to pop one out," Felicity said. "I _know_ she's been sending me subscriptions to Motherhood magazine as it is – she thinks she's so subtle!" Felicity's voice rose a little hysterically at the end. "Actually, no. Maybe this is good," she continued, getting control of herself, "maybe it'll take the focus off me and put it entirely on you."

"Thanks, Satan," Sara complained, though it was good-natured. "And calm down, because I'm probably not."

"What makes you say that?" Thea asked. Apparently the idea of Sara being pregnant had helped her regain some lucidity, even as she was sitting cross-legged on the bed cradling the vodka bottle.

Sara just stared at her. Honestly, all signs were pointing to the fact that she _was_ and she had no real reason to doubt it…except that it felt safer, somehow, to assume she wasn't.

"Fine…" Thea continued, when Sara didn't speak, "what makes you think you might be?"

"Um, I've fainted a couple of times," Sara said, resting her head on Felicity's shoulder. "Thanks for the catch," she added, gratefully. "And uh, I got sick this morning."

"How late are you?" Felicity asked.

Sara laughed. "That's a good question. I haven't been regular in a long time, so I couldn't say. It's been a while…I can't even remember."

Thea gasped, jumping off the bed. "Our twins…aren't twins anymore!" she said, face lighting with dawning realization.

"Ooh, the ficus thing makes so much more sense now," Felicity added, slapping her forehead. "I'm sorry, of course you and Leonard aren't going to kill the thing," she joked, stopping abruptly as Sara's eyes began to water.

By now, Thea had broken out into a huge grin. "You might be _pregnant,_ Sara! Oh, this is amazing!" She clapped her hands together, twirling around in delight. "You _have_ to do some cheesy crime-related birth announcement. How about," she spread her hands, imagining, " _The biggest score of our lives_." She sighed. "That's not bad, if I do say so myself. Wait – does Leonard know?"

"Yes, Len knows," Sara nodded. "He's going crazy waiting to find out for sure if I am." Thea's enthusiasm was catching, and her mouth began curving up despite herself.

"How did he react when you told him?" Thea asked, still twirling in circles, and Sara prayed she wasn't going to get dizzy enough to get sick or pass out.

"He's all in," Sara said, a little shyly. "It's like he's not worried at _all_ , about the thought of it…actually happening."

Felicity wrapped Sara in a hug, holding her so tightly that Sara could feel her smiling into her shoulder. "You might be having a baby!" Felicity gushed when she pulled away. "You have to _promise_ you'll come to Star City and let us throw you the world's best Team Arrow baby shower. I know Team Flash is trying to steal you away, damn them and their roguishly handsome villains-turned-heroes. But we had you first!"

"That's right," Thea agreed. "Oh and you absolutely _have_ to come shopping for maternity clothes in Star City. There is the cutest boutique – I swear, that storefront makes even me wish I was pregnant."

"You mean the place on 17th?" Felicity asked, "the one across the street from that great pizza place?" Thea nodded, and Felicity sighed. "My mom loves to go to lunch there. She always gets us the table with the _perfect_ view of the – okay, sorry, this isn't about me."

"Oh, oh, we have to make the baby a little mini _Arrow_ outfit," Thea grinned. "With a little mini hood and a little mini mask, and stuffed arrows."

"I'm sure Len would _love_ that," Sara rolled her eyes, trying not to smile – and failing.

"We'll get the baby a little mini parka too, he'll be fine," Felicity waved her hand.

"With a little mini fur hood and little mini goggles and little mini _boots_!" Thea added, her voice squealing on the last word. "Have you seen how little baby shoes are, Sara? And baby _socks_ , oh, you've never seen anything so little in your life. In. Your. _Life._ "

Sara felt herself smiling so wide now that her cheeks hurt. She looked at her friends' happy faces, feeling so warm and excited, until she remembered that she might not have anything to celebrate. The joy left her in a rush. How many times in the past had she gotten ahead of herself, only to be disappointed or heartbroken?

"Stop," she ordered, as their faces fell. "I don't know anything, yet. I miss my period all the time, that doesn't mean that I'm..."

Thea sat down on the floor at the foot of the bed, resting her head in Sara's lap. "It's okay to be happy, Sara," she murmured. "It's okay to want it."

 _Was it?_ She looked down, watching Thea's hair get increasingly blurry as her eyes teared up.

"Hey," Felicity rubbed her arm. "You're holding a test in your hands. Go take it and find out. Even if you're not, you've got so much time… Either way, two or three of us will be drinking our faces off tonight in your honor." She gave Sara a small smile, trying to snap her out of the melancholy place she'd fallen into. "Come on! I can't believe you waited this long. I would've kicked everyone out and taken it hours ago."

"Have you _met_ any of the people out there?" Sara asked, dryly, as Felicity laughed a little. "They pretty much do what they want, and if Len or I _really_ minded, they'd be long gone. Truthfully…I don't mind them being here. And while Leonard will deny it until the end of the world, deep down neither does he. Though I know he _is_ irritated that I keep getting interrupted."

"You're so domestic already," Thea said, grinning up at her. "Both of you. I never thought I'd see the day."

"You guys are my family," Sara said, simply. "All of you. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

When the bedroom door shut behind Sara, Thea, and Felicity, Leonard stood in the hallway with his arms crossed, glaring at it. Damn Queen, she was nothing but trouble. And where did she get that from but her pain-in-the-ass older brother, god _damn_ it – annoying the hell out of him was practically a Queen family trait.

In fact, he supposed he should be feeling lucky that they hadn't dragged Oliver here this weekend. He growled, temper flaring even higher until he heard a little cough from the woman beside him.

"It's going to be okay," Caitlin said, reassuringly. "I'm sure she'll be out soon."

"Give it to me straight, Snow," he said, turning to face her. "What if Sara isn't pregnant? What could be wrong with her? I hate to admit it, but I listened to the rest of the results from Palmer's Web MD search. 'Brain tumor' sounded particularly bad."

"She doesn't have a brain tumor," Caitlin laughed, and the tension in Leonard's chest released a little. "Well, I mean anything's possible," she added, and his heart dropped. Caitlin saw the look on his face and rushed to reassure him. "It's not that. If she's not pregnant, I'd say it's probably stress coupled with a small virus. Or she's just tired, she said she didn't sleep last night."

"I only heard her get up once – I hope she wasn't sick before that and I didn't know." He turned away, studying the floor and thinking about the way Sara had passed out on Wells in the living room. She had to have been pretty tired to do that, right? Because Wells wasn't exactly inviting. Though what did he know, since he'd missed out on – whatever was going on between him and Caitlin.

"Honestly, though?" Caitlin asked, drawing his attention back to her. "If I had to give my professional opinion, as a doctor, pregnancy would be my first and only guess right now. How do you feel about that?"

"How do I feel?" he murmured, repeating the question to himself. He was almost afraid to even put what he wanted into words – it already seemed so impossible to begin with. "How does _she_ feel?" he countered. "Did she say? She wouldn't tell me."

"She didn't say outright. I think she's trying to distance herself from it," Caitlin speculated. "That's kind of Sara's default. She's lost so much in her life, she tends to keep the things she wants at arm's length, bracing herself for the other shoe to drop. It's like, if she lets herself want something, that means she can lose it."

Leonard frowned, thinking back on the day and all the trepidation, all the stalling – maybe Sara wasn't nervous to find out that she _was_ pregnant, maybe she was nervous to find out that –

A shrieking female voice interrupted his thoughts, though he couldn't quite make out the words through the bedroom door, and he cursed Queen again.

He turned back to Caitlin, who was watching him with a comforting smile on her face. "I guess you could say I feel the same," he admitted, averting his gaze.

"I think you should be telling _her_ that, not me," Caitlin said, lightly.

She was right, but Sara was currently tied up with the delinquents from Star City, so… "You know," he told Caitlin, changing the subject. "I think he really likes you."

"Who?" Caitlin asked, seemingly confused, and he couldn't tell if she was being deliberately obtuse.

"'Who,'" he repeated, smirking.

Caitlin pressed her lips together, obviously considering his words, and then shook her head. "Sara got to you."

"No," he said. "Well, yes – but not like you think. She just pointed a few things out."

"Sara's version of reality is not the same as everyone else's," Caitlin insisted. "I think she's just…"

Her voice had turned serious and Leonard leaned against the wall behind him. "What?"

"She's so _happy_. And granted I didn't know her before, I didn't know her without you, but I know that this –" she gestured around them, "– what you guys have, together? This is her world."

"What does that have to do with –"

"She wants everyone else to be as happy as she is," Caitlin interrupted. "So she tends to read into things…" she sighed in frustration, struggling to explain. "She sees what she wants to see."

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" he pressed.

"Dr. Wells and I work together," she said, unknowingly repeating the same arguments he'd given Sara earlier. "It's not a good idea even if what you're saying is true."

"Relationships are like that. There are _always_ reasons not to try. But if you never…" he trailed off, thinking of the time he'd spent with Sara. What if he'd never taken that leap? What if he'd chosen to keep himself closed off and missed – he shot his eyes over to Caitlin. "It's _always_ worth trying," he told her, vehemently.

She wasn't privy to his thoughts, though. And she wasn't done with the excuses. "If it went badly, I'd have to get a new job."

"As if you'd have trouble with that," he said. "Isn't your resume like 20 pages long?"

Caitlin hesitated, clearly most worried about what she was going to say next: "You're forgetting the biggest obstacle – he's my _boss_."

"Right," Leonard agreed. "You wouldn't even have to roleplay that part."

Caitlin tried to hold back her smile as she hit Leonard playfully on the shoulder. "You and Sara are too much alike."

"Hey, you were so busy listing the cons, you forgot about the pros." He watched her stare at the floor, running her foot along the carpeted hallway as if fascinated by it. "But in all seriousness, chances at happiness, _real_ happiness, don't come along every day. For some people, they don't even come along once a decade. You know that as well as anyone. So if this is something you want, don't keep trying to talk yourself out of it." He waited for her to look up at him. "Take it."

"What if you're wrong?" Caitlin persisted.

He sent her a look that merely said, _Please, I'm Leonard Snart_.

She searched his face, apparently looking for the truth in what he'd told her. "I don't mean to sound rude, but why does it matter to you? I know we're friendly and all, but it's not like we've had that much opportunity to get to know each other…"

"Sara loves you. That was all I ever needed to know." _To tell what kind of a person you are_ , was left unsaid.

Caitlin looked away, and he almost thought her eyes were getting misty. "Funny," she said, quietly. "I would have said the exact same thing about you."

"Are we actually friends, now?" he questioned. "Without Sara, even?"

Caitlin nodded, grimly. "I'm afraid we might be."

"Damn it," he muttered. "This isn't acceptable, you know. I wasn't in the market for more friends. You see what I have to deal with already!"

"Sorry that it happened against your will," she laughed.

He glanced back down the hallway toward the kitchen. "Does this mean I have to go threaten Harrison Wells?"

Caitlin's mirth abruptly vanished. "No, dear God no, don't even –" she caught his smile too late. "You're a riot."

"I'd do it if necessary, Snow," he promised, "but that guy would probably jump off a roof before he ever hurt you."

"And you think Cisco Ramon wouldn't do the same for Lisa?"

Leonard sighed at the abrupt subject change – though he knew she was right. "I know. It's mostly habit to harass him by now." Off Caitlin's stern look he tried to justify it: "The kid makes it too easy. I can't help myself!"

"Why don't you try?" she suggested.

"Tell you what – I'll try if you will." He offered his hand.

"I'm already nice to Cisco," she insisted. When Leonard just looked at her, she stopped pretending not to know what he meant and accepted his hand. "Okay," she said, slowly, "I'll try."

"You'll try what?" Wells asked, from the end of the hallway. "Sorry, didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just looking for you."

"Uh…"

"Snow's going to try and be more open to life," Leonard said brightly, pushing her (slightly too hard) toward Wells and causing her to stumble into him. "Oh sorry, watch out for where the carpet stops – Sara trips there all the time."

"Did he just…?" Wells steadied her, looking back at Leonard who held his hands up innocently.

"No, that was me. I'm…clumsy." Caitlin shot Leonard a death glare over her shoulder. Oh yeah, they were definitely friends now.

He merely returned her glare with a look that said, _I can't do all the work for you, Snow_.

Caitlin disentangled herself from Wells (who clearly lingered in letting her go – Leonard wished she'd open her eyes) and he could see her turning redder even in the dim lighting of the hallway. "We were just waiting to see if Felicity and Sara needed help with Thea," she told Wells. "But it seems like they've got it handled."

She motioned for them to head back to the kitchen, and Leonard followed. He supposed it would seem suspicious to continue lingering alone outside the bedroom door. Even though it _was_ his damn apartment.

Cisco was already in the kitchen, looking forlornly at the empty casserole dish while he filled his plate with a few chips instead.

Ray joined them. "Wow, casserole's gone," he said. "Maybe I should go grab the other one I made…it was supposed to last me and Mick the week, but there's clearly high demand here. Or I could whip us up dessert! I'd have to go home to grab ingredients –"

"Sounds great!" Len interrupted.

"– and bring them back here to cook."

 _How long would that take?!_ Leonard really didn't need to deal with Palmer making a dessert that would keep people there _longer_. "I changed my mind – don't even think it. If you leave this apartment, you are not allowed back in."

"Guess I'm staying a while, then," Ray told him, smugly.

Leonard tried to stay annoyed with Ray, he really did, but it didn't work. He just couldn't stop thinking about Sara, and the test. And what the result might be.

"I can't believe you didn't invite me to this conference," Cisco was bitching to Wells when Leonard finally snapped out of his thoughts. "I have to say, I'm hurt."

"When have you _ever_ wanted to go anywhere with me?" Wells countered.

"There was the – no that wasn't you. Or how about…wait, I feigned illness to get out of that one." Cisco quickly gave up. "There's a first time for everything."

Lisa entered, hearing the last of what he'd said, and sidled up to him. "I can't believe you'd rather spend a night with your co-workers instead of me," she said, voice low – but not low enough that Leonard didn't hear it.

"I don't...what are you talking about, Lisa?" Cisco asked nervously, shooting a look at Len and then rounding the island to stand opposite her. "You know I'm waiting until marriage!"

Leonard sighed and opened his mouth – until he noticed Caitlin staring at him questioningly, as if to remind him, _Aren't you going to try?_

It seemed everyone was waiting for him to speak, collectively holding their breath. "You two are adults," he said finally, "and you can do what you want. I don't judge."

"Since _when_?" Lisa gaped.

Leonard ignored his sister. "I tried," he told Caitlin, pointedly. "Now will you?"

Caitlin sent him the tiniest smile, looking oddly proud of his restraint. Then she nodded slightly and he felt this strange sense of happiness, imagining how Sara would react – and he wanted to go tell her, except she _was still in that damn bedroom_.

As if his thought had summoned her, the bedroom door opened, the women spilling out into the hall and looking awfully like they were up to something. Leonard met Sara's eyes from across the room, and she motioned for him to come over.

As he approached, he watched Thea lean in and whisper something in Sara's ear, giggling as she pulled back. Then Felicity kissed Sara on the cheek and squeezed her hand, scurrying away as Leonard came upon them. Thea gave him a funny little wink as she hurried off to the kitchen, and he noticed she was carrying a vodka bottle – where had she gotten that?!

"That bottle's almost half gone already? My kind of girl," Mick told Thea, loudly, as Leonard sighed. Right.

"What was all that about?" Leonard asked, resting his arm on the wall above Sara's head and leaning down toward her.

"Thea needed a little liquid courage to help her carry out her plan to seduce Ray or Mick," Sara explained, holding back a smirk. "Or both."

" _What_? Does she really think that –" He jerked around at the sound of high-pitched female laughter. Thea was in the kitchen, standing awfully close to Mick – and was he actually smiling? _God help us._ Or more accurately, God help Thea, because Ray was glaring at the two of them something fierce.

"Also," Sara added, pulling his gaze back to her, "Felicity and Thea found out that I might be…you know."

He frowned, mostly because of the uneasy expression on Sara's face. "How did they find out?"

"Well, Thea wanted me to do shots with her. I thought that would be a bad idea if I'm… Anyway, she guessed. She's quite perceptive, I must say, for how many drinks she's had."

Leonard glanced back at the kitchen where Thea was talking animatedly and waving the vodka bottle around to make her point.

"She seems too distracted to mention it to anyone, if that's what you're worried about," he muttered.

"What if it's positive?" Sara whispered, suddenly, grabbing Leonard's face and pulling him to look at her. He felt something loosen in his heart.

"We're going to be okay, Lance," he said, brushing a piece of hair out of her face and wrapping an arm around her waist. "You'd be an _amazing_ mother. And I…I'll figure it out. Probably by following your lead."

She nodded, smoothing her hands up his face to rest at the back of his neck.

"You'd be a great dad," she said, her voice breaking on the last word. "But…what if it's negative?" Worry settled itself in every line of her face. He tilted his head, at a loss.

"Sara, I –"

"Hey, get a room you two!" Cisco called from the kitchen, interrupting their moment.

When Leonard turned back to Sara, she was already pulling away. _Damn it, Ramon_. He wanted Sara to take the test so they could know, but he'd also wanted to…well, he wasn't exactly sure what he might have said, but he still wished he could have reassured her.

"Guess that's my cue," she said, twisting open the bathroom door and slipping inside. "I'll see you in a few minutes," she added, giving him a small smile as she eased the door shut.

Leonard checked his watch, marking time. He was certain this next wait would be the longest of his life.

"What do you mean you're coming to visit?!" someone shrieked, and he looked over to see Felicity in the kitchen, yelling into her phone. "No, they're not home – no one's home, what! You better not – mom I swear –" she stopped, staring at her phone. "She hung up on me. My mother hung up on me." She glanced up, finding Leonard watching her. "Uh, so…we should talk."

 _Of. His. Life._


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** We're so glad you guys are liking this so far - thanks to everyone for all the encouragement, it means a lot!

* * *

Before he could even get into it with Felicity, Lisa slipped by him, heading – he sighed with relief, down the hall and not toward the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" he called.

"I need some privacy," she shrugged, holding up her phone. Then she kicked his bedroom door shut.

"Yeah, sure, you have permission to do whatever you want, wherever you want," he said, sarcastically, but she was long gone.

"Leonard," Felicity said, causing him to whirl back around. She was unnaturally close to him, eyes bulging and wringing her hands like she was on the verge of a panic attack. "This is important."

"Is it?" he asked, dismissively, making to brush by her. He was sure he wasn't going to like whatever she was about to tell him, so all things considered, he'd rather just avoid it.

"That was my mother," Felicity said, grabbing at his arm to keep him in place. She had a frighteningly forceful grip for someone her size. "Well, um…so you know how my mom is. She tries to help, but she can be completely overbearing, and she's always doing the opposite of whatever you want her to do."

"Gee, I wonder what that's like?" he said, glancing past her at his _apartment full of people_.

"Leonard –"

"You know I've met her a few times," he interrupted, remembering his few encounters with her mother. She had never seemed _that_ bad. At least, not bad enough to warrant the stricken expression on Felicity's face. Then again, he'd never spent any significant amount of time with her alone.

Felicity fidgeted. "She's…ten minutes away."

He just stared at her.

"And she's going to be stopping by…"

He still said nothing.

"I tried to stop her, I really did!"

Silence.

"Oh God, say something!" she exclaimed. "This staring thing is really unnerving. Almost terrifying. Do you want to kill me right now? Because I swear I did my best to keep her away. You can't blame me for her insanity – even though I may have inherited some of it – but this isn't my fault. Don't take it out on me! Damn it, Leonard," she gripped his arm, "you need to calm down!"

"What is wrong with you?" he demanded.

"Normally she'd be fine," Felicity prattled on, as if he hadn't spoken. "But she's going to _know_. She has this uncanny ability of figuring things out. Sometimes even before _I'm_ aware of them." She glanced back toward the bathroom, and it finally clicked with Leonard. _Great_ , just what he needed, Detective Donna Smoak to swoop in and instantly know what was going on. At this rate, she'd probably know if Sara was pregnant before he did.

"You can just keep her busy," he suggested.

"Well, there's one more thing." Her mouth twisted, as if she were afraid to even speak the next words. "Quentin's with her."

 _It just gets better and better._ Donna had married Sara's father, which made for an… _interesting_ family dynamic, to say the least. He actually got along okay with Quentin, mostly; they'd reached a détente at some point, and while they were a bit uneasy around each other, they'd become more or less accepting. But what was he going to think if Sara was pregnant? ( _And was she?_ )

He wasn't sure Quentin would take kindly to that possibility.

He tried to think of a way, _any_ way, to get out of this, but from Felicity's sheer panic, he knew there was no hope. He looked up at the ceiling – nope, nothing up there to help him, either.

This was bad – he had to warn Sara. He turned to make his way to the bathroom, but stopped abruptly when he saw Lisa knocking on the door and saying something he couldn't quite hear. "Lis –" he started, just as the door opened and Sara dragged his sister inside. The door shut quickly behind them, and Leonard grimaced in apprehension. _What_ _now_?

Felicity jumped into his line of vision. "You better not even be thinking about running away in the middle of this – this _crisis_ ," she said, forcefully pushing him toward the living room. He let her, figuring that if Sara wanted to talk to Lisa, he had to give them a few minutes.

"I have a few other things on my mind," he told Felicity, sharply. And she _knew_ that.

"Like what?" Cisco asked, much too loudly.

Leonard shut his eyes before resigning himself to dealing with them all a little longer. "Like minding my own damn business."

"Who around here does that?" Caitlin joked, derailing Cisco's line of questioning. Leonard sent her a grateful look.

"I'm moving," he said, to no one in particular, voice getting progressively louder. "I'm moving away, far away. Preferably to an island."

"But then you'd never see us," Ray said, brightly.

"That's the _point_ , Palmer."

Ray just laughed. "That's a good one. We know you love us!"

"I love all of you," Thea declared, somewhat teary.

Felicity turned to him. "Leonard, we can probably salvage this if we play our cards right. Now isn't the time to fall apart!"

He knew he wasn't imagining that her eyes were getting wild. "I'm not falling –"

"Listen up everyone!" Felicity announced, as she spun around and took in the scene before her. Everyone instantly quieted at the tinge of hysteria in her voice. "I have some unfortunate news – my mother is on her way here."

"Aww," Ray began, "I love Donna, she's such a fun –"

"No, Ray," Felicity snapped, turning on him. "None of that. We don't have time for that. Don't give her a reason to try and leave her husband."

Caitlin was visibly jarred, as she realized… "Is Quentin with her?"

Felicity just nodded, and both women glanced uneasily toward the bathroom. Leonard felt his stomach drop. If even _they_ were worried about Quentin's reaction, what did that mean for _him_?

"Now, some of you don't know my mother," Felicity said, looking between Mick and Wells, "so we have to prepare, and we have," she checked her phone, "approximately eight minutes to do so."

"We have to _prepare_?" Wells whispered to Caitlin.

"You'll see," she murmured.

"Donna really is fun," Ray leaned over to tell Mick, quickly shutting his mouth when Felicity snapped her eyes over to him again.

"My mother means well," Felicity said, as she started circling the room, gathering plates, cups, and bottles that people had left on tables and counters, "but if there is anything to judge you for, she _will_ judge you for it. So act normal – but not too normal, because then she'll think we're hiding something."

" _Are_ we hiding something?" Thea asked, as Felicity stared at her.

"I'll get those," Caitlin interrupted, stepping between the two women to grab the dishes from Felicity before she or Thea could say something even more revealing. Leonard sighed in relief at the intervention – Snow was really earning her keep today, he was going to have to make it up to her somehow.

Felicity quickly regrouped. "In an effort to make this as easy as possible for everyone, I propose a few ground rules. First of all, the following subjects are off-limits." She ticked items off on her fingers: "Marriage, divorce, engagements, relationships in general, babies, pregnancy, let's just say _all_ children to be safe –"

"Should we be writing this down?" Mick asked.

Felicity grabbed a bunch of coats that were slung over couches and chairs, opened a closet door, and shoved them inside where they fell into an ungracious heap on the floor before she forced the door shut. "What else? Oh, let's say exes are off-limits, too, unless you want to listen to a rant about my father for half an hour."

"Your father's actually quite fascinating," Ray argued.

Felicity pretended not hear him. "Absolutely do _not_ mention any criminal activities." She shot meaningful looks at Leonard and Mick for that one. "And nothing about any danger you experience in your day-to-day lives –"

"How about we just don't talk at all?" Wells quipped.

"Yes!" Felicity exclaimed, latching onto his suggestion like it was a life preserver. "Everyone listen to this man – no one speak unless you're spoken to, and if then, try to divert the topic to something safe like the weather – but not how the weather here is different from the weather in Star City because the two cities _are so far apart and why can't Leonard and Sara just move closer to us_!"

It was clear that by the end she was reciting someone else's words, and she stopped to take a deep breath.

Cisco was watching her with a mixture of pity and amusement. "She sure did a number on you."

"Yes, yes she did. But that is neither here nor there because I'm saving you _all_ from her and none of you seem to care."

"I think she needs to save us from _you_ ," Thea said, words slurring together a bit at the end.

"Are you still drinking?!" Felicity yelled.

"Here, take it." Thea held out a bottle of vodka. "You need it much more than me."

Felicity looked as if she were going to argue, then took a swig from the bottle itself. "This better help."

"Drink your problems away," Mick said, encouragingly. "It's a foolproof method."

"Oh yeah," Leonard said, smirking, "if the night inevitably ending with something on fire can be called a 'foolproof method'."

"Hey, if it works, it works." Mick tilted his beer at him. "Remember that job in National City when the whole warehouse district went up in flames because –"

"No, none of that," Felicity begged, taking another swig.

Ray held out a Solo cup. "At least be classy about it, Felicity."

She didn't seem to hear him as she set the bottle back down, too busy scanning the room, probably for anything else her mother could criticize (and Leonard refrained from telling her that probably _everything_ she was doing at the moment would make that list).

Thea joined Mick on the couch and propped her head up on a hand. "I want to hear about this job. With the fire." She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Do you know how flammable flour is?" he asked. "A lot of stuff burned. A _lot_."

"Fire!" Felicity yelped, popping up from behind the couch and startling them both. "Add fire to the list of unacceptable topics."

"How about we compromise, I won't _talk_ about it, but…" Mick took out his lighter, flipping it open, and Leonard knew he was doing it just to annoy Felicity.

Thankfully, Ray lunged over and grabbed it. "She's going to set _you_ on fire," he warned Mick.

"If the place was on fire we'd all have a reason to evacuate…" Felicity glanced over at Leonard. "I'm kidding. But how attached are you to this building?"

Wells seemed mildly concerned. "She can't be _that_ bad."

Felicity pointed at him. "You just wait. You're not married, which means you're going to have a half dozen dates with her various friends before this night is over."

Forget concerned – now Wells looked downright uncomfortable. "I don't –"

"You want to avoid it? You better pair off soon." Felicity checked her phone. "You have six minutes."

"Oh, that much time?" he asked, glibly.

"Caitlin, you're single, right?" Felicity asked, as if she didn't know.

"Um…"

"Perfect!" She grabbed Caitlin's arm and pushed her closer to Wells. "The two of you just pretend you're a couple and you'll get out of this unscathed. Well…no promises."

 _Really, Smoak?_ Leonard actually felt bad for Wells and Caitlin, but at the same time, it was hilarious how shell-shocked they seemed. Nothing like pushing things along – maybe he could actually become a fan of Felicity's – even if she _was_ dating Queen.

"One single man down, two to go," Thea announced, looking from Mick to Ray. "Which one of you wants to pretend to be with _me_? Or…" she added slyly, "we don't have to pretend."

"I think the drinking is making you a little too friendly," Ray said.

"I'm always this friendly," she insisted. "But I get it if you don't want to leave each other."

"Leave each other where?" Mick asked.

"Thea, stop," Felicity ordered, as she took her hand and pulled her off the couch, away from the two of them. "They're perfectly happy together."

"He _is_ a great roommate," Ray agreed. "He even said he'd learn to cook with me! You know, once we get cable back."

"I'm moving out," Mick told him, dryly.

"I'll take you both," Thea said over her shoulder as Felicity dragged her to the kitchen.

Everyone seemed unsure what to do without the whirlwind of Felicity to "prepare" them for her mother's arrival. Leonard took the opportunity to quickly text Sara, asking if everything was alright. He _might_ have added something along the lines of begging her to return and help him with these people, but he thought he was entitled by now.

When Sara didn't immediately answer, he put his phone away and looked around, gaze settling on Caitlin and Wells. They hadn't moved since Felicity made her pronouncement and he couldn't resist indulging the evilest part of himself. "I guess congratulations are in order," he said, and when they just looked at him blankly he added, "on your new relationship."

Caitlin looked very much like she wanted to murder him right then and there. As for Wells, he seemed as impassive as ever, and Leonard _might_ have bought it if he hadn't seen the difference in him when he was talking to Caitlin.

"Yeah," Cisco was laughing, "no offense, but what is Felicity thinking? No one would ever buy you two together! I mean just the thought is –"

"What?" Caitlin interrupted, icily.

Cisco froze at the tone of her voice.

"Yeah, finish that thought, Ramon," Wells backed her up.

Cisco looked around frantically, gaze stopping on Leonard, who just shook his head in silent indication that he wasn't going to help him.

"What's that?" Cisco suddenly called toward the kitchen. "I think I hear Felicity or Thea – someone, definitely, needs me." He made to leave right as the two women returned, the latter sulking over another bottle of water. Felicity didn't look much calmer than when she'd left, either.

"You're not escaping," Felicity said, grabbing Cisco by the shirt and pulling him back toward the couches. "Straighten up."

"I'm not a maid," he grumbled, then started fixing throw pillows – throw pillows that looked surprisingly unfamiliar to Leonard. ( _Where did those come from?_ ) Cisco paused, annoyance forgotten as he ran a hand over the fabric. "These are really nice."

"2-for-1 sale at Pier 1," Ray said.

Cisco nodded appreciatively. "That's a good deal, man, I know where I'm going tomorrow!"

Leonard couldn't deal with this. _Where's Sara?_ He glanced behind him but there was no sign of her or his sister – was he going to have to retrieve them himself? Sara hadn't answered his texts yet, either. Maybe she hadn't taken the test yet, or – well who knew? With their luck today, it would be defective or –

At that moment, Thea ran her hand down Ray's arm and he jerked away from her, causing her to stumble and knock a bowl of chips off the edge of the coffee table. Felicity literally reeled backwards, her face twisted in horror.

"I'm so sorry," Thea said, trying to pick up both the bowl and the chips, though somehow her efforts just spread them further around her in a circle.

Felicity started muttering to herself as she helped Thea clean up. "'Can't you afford a vacuum?' my mother will ask. 'No, I guess not – but it's fine, I'll ship one to you'."

"Is that an imaginary conversation with her?" Caitlin asked, grabbing a chip that had skidded over to the couch.

"No, it _actually happened_ ," Felicity said, jumping to her feet and bringing the bowl to the kitchen. When she returned, she was slightly out of breath and holding an empty trash bag. "I got a vacuum the next day. Express one-day shipping."

Leonard actually thought that was a nice gesture. "You're complaining that your mother bought you a vacuum?"

"It wasn't _just_ a vacuum, Leonard," she said, taking a threatening step toward him. "It was a statement. On my lack of ability to keep a clean apartment. Is that what you want?"

"I wouldn't turn down a free vacuum," he shrugged.

"Not. The. Point." Felicity sounded strangled as she walked around grabbing napkins and whatever else she could find that she deemed "trash."

"Don't you already have a vacuum?" Ray asked Leonard. "If not, you can borrow ours. We just got this great Dyson –"

"Shut up about vacuums!" Felicity yelled. "We have less than four minutes." She grabbed the vodka off the table to steel herself with another drink.

Mick was rubbing his hands together. "It feels like we're running a con here. I like it."

"No, you don't like it because there's nothing to 'like'." Felicity grabbed a Solo cup out of Cisco's hand right as he was about to pour some vodka into it. "What is this, a frat party?!" She threw it in the trash bag.

"Guess I was done with that," he mumbled, before narrowing his gaze on her. "And yeah it's much more sophisticated to _drink from the bottle_."

Felicity looked at the bottle in her hand, then at everyone watching her, and slowly set it down. "If you'd grown up with her you'd understand."

"It's okay," Caitlin said, rubbing her shoulder. "We all have our…triggers?"

"I think it's fine," Leonard said. "Is your mother really –"

"Let me save you the trouble – anything you're going to ask next, the answer is _yes_."

"I hope she hurries up and gets here," Ray muttered. When Felicity looked over at him he added, defensively, "You're pretty terrifying right now."

She pushed past him to venture to the back of the living room. "Do you want these catalogs?" she asked Leonard, even as she tossed a stack into the trash bag.

"I have no idea why we get them," he admitted.

"I signed you up for Pottery Barn and Ikea," Ray said, like he was being helpful, "along with a few others. I thought you and Sara could use some decorating tips."

 _Of course he did_.

"I love Ikea," Mick agreed. "You don't even need to steal because the stuff is so cheap."

"Do you hear yourself?" Leonard demanded. "Since when do you care about interior design?"

Mick shrugged. "I won't apologize for liking tasteful décor."

"They're everywhere," Felicity said, grabbing some more from a side table. "Save some trees for the planet, why don't you, Williams-Sonoma?"

"How do you decorate your mansion?" Thea asked Wells, gazing at him dreamily. "I bet it's really high-end stuff, right? I'd love a tour of it!"

Caitlin deliberately stepped between the two of them. "He's actually pretty thrifty."

"Then what's the point of having _money_?" Thea complained, reaching past them to grab one of the vodka bottles on the end table.

Fortunately, Wells quickly pulled it out of her reach. "Far be it from me to overstep, but I think you've had enough."

"You too?" she sighed, looking at Caitlin who just nodded. "Both of you?" She collapsed back onto the couch. "No one around here knows how to have a good time."

"I know how to have a good time," Mick offered, taking a seat next to her. Thea gave him a coy smile. Of course, he was too busy taking a sip of his beer to notice.

Len checked his phone again, beyond frustrated that he still hadn't heard anything from Sara. The _only_ thing keeping him from going in the bathroom at this point was knowing that Lisa was with her – his sister would let him know if something was wrong. _Wouldn't she?_

"I think everyone's had enough," Felicity said, gathering all the half-filled liquor bottles and bringing them to the kitchen. From the sound of cabinets opening and shutting, Leonard gathered she was attempting to hide them.

She returned in record time, checking the time again. "A little over two minutes. Do I need to go over the unacceptable topics again?"

"No!" everyone shouted in unison.

"Fine, but I'll be listening. Just be alert. And aware." She did a final quick inspection of the room before sighing. "She's going to know. I can _tell_ she's going to know. None of you understand. She can _sense_ things. Things no one should be able to know." She said that directly to Leonard, who had to forcibly stop himself from looking toward the bathroom in response.

"What are you talking about?" Ray asked Felicity. "What would she know?"

"Uh – nothing," Felicity stuttered. "Nothing at all."

"Wait a minute…" Ray said, "you've been acting really weird since you got here. Way more hyper and high-strung than normal. And you look different – you're pregnant!"

Leonard was at a loss. Trust Palmer to draw the exact right conclusion…for the wrong person. How the hell had he guessed pregnancy from five minutes with Felicity (who'd been literally _drinking from a vodka bottle_ ), yet he'd been around Sara acting strangely for _weeks_ and hadn't thought about the possibility? It figured.

"Oh my God," Felicity sighed.

"You're pregnant?!" Thea shouted, apparently having lost all ability to reason. "Why are you drinking, then? Why didn't you say anything when –"

"No, Thea," she interrupted, loudly. "I'm not pregnant."

"I don't know, Ray could be right," Thea said. "You _are_ acting strange." She rummaged around in the couch cushions before pulling out the original vodka bottle she'd had in the bedroom.

Felicity dove over to grab it and then spun around to Ray. "Wasn't pregnancy on the list of forbidden topics?"

Ray took an involuntary step back. "Uh…"

"Was it or wasn't it?" she snapped. "And while we're at it, which one of you two idiots was the one who gave Thea this vodka?" She shook the bottle angrily at Mick and Ray.

"It's pretty good, right?" Mick asked, as Felicity just glared at him, and then drank some of it.

"I think you were right before, Felicity," Caitlin said, "we can all be done with drinking now."

"I need this," Felicity said, clutching the bottle tighter.

"I'll just take it for a few minutes," Caitlin said, going over and briefly engaging in a tug-of-war with Felicity over the vodka until the blonde finally relinquished it.

"Hey, where's Sara?" Ray suddenly asked.

 _Damn good question, Palmer. I've been asking myself that for almost ten minutes_.

Since Sara wasn't answering his texts, and he'd never seen Lisa emerge from the bathroom, he decided to text his sister instead. No sooner had he done so when someone knocked on the door.

Felicity nearly gasped. "No, I was supposed to have a minute left!"

"Sooo," Caitlin said, when no one moved. "Who wants to get it?"

* * *

Sara stared dismally at the test in her hands. And stared. And stared some more.

It was just a test, right? A test she couldn't even fail.

 _So why can't I bring myself to take it?_

She'd been sitting on the edge of the tub, putting off moment by moment what she knew she had to do, despite how badly she wanted to know the outcome. Because once she knew, there was no going back.

 _What if it's positive?_

Her eyes flicked to the wall, where just this morning Leonard had held her while she was sick. Her heart melted a little at the thought of it, remembering the way he'd cared for her, how he'd kissed her on the neck to take her temperature on the sly. Even though she'd never told him, she knew by now that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, however long she might have.

And if they brought a baby into that life? Well, as much as she knew how hard it would be, and how much she would have to give up, she just couldn't think of it as a bad thing. Truthfully, the more she thought about it, the less worried she was. She actually felt…a little trill of anticipation and even…excitement, at the idea. She'd never thought she could have this. And so, to have it with the person she loved more than anything…

 _What if it's negative?_

If she was honest with herself now, that question was the _real_ reason she hadn't taken the test yet. Just the thought of it being negative made her heart sink. And she didn't quite understand why – why in the world would she be disappointed if she wasn't pregnant? After all, nothing in her life would change. She and Leonard would still be together. They'd still go on adventures through time with the team on the Waverider. They wouldn't have to give up anything. Before today, she'd never seriously considered the idea of having a baby with Len – at the very least, they'd never discussed it.

But now she was here, holding the test in her hand with the very real possibility in front of her…

What had Caitlin said earlier about steps? If she just thought of it as one step at a time…take the test, she could do that. It didn't mean she had to look at it or even think about the results. Just take it, that was all.

It was done in a moment. She set the test face down on a Kleenex on the counter and washed her hands, struggling to breathe normally. It had been so much easier out there surrounded by her friends, teasing Caitlin about Wells, listening to Ray and Mick bicker, watching how cute Cisco and Lisa could be with each other…it all allowed her to put this out of her mind. Now her heart was racing so fast she thought she would faint again, and she felt herself sway a little.

She went to set the timer on her phone, but – wait, where was her phone? She looked around frantically, searching every surface, but it was nowhere to be found. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd had it, actually. It could've been in the living room or the bedroom – but it definitely wasn't here.

 _Okay, I'll just wait without it, that's fine, no big deal.._. She chewed on a nail and tried to calm herself. _Oh, it's no use._ She started nervously pacing back and forth across the small space, counting a second on every turn.

 _Twenty-one-one-thousand… Twenty-two-one-thousand… Twenty-three-one-thousand… Twenty-four-one-thous–_

A knock at the door brought her to a startling stop.

"Hey, Sara?" Lisa's voice floated in. "Are you okay?"

"Uhh," Sara stuttered, her voice a little strangled. _I can't do this._

"Sara?" Lisa asked again, sounding concerned.

Sara didn't even think; she wrenched open the door and yanked Lisa inside, locking it shut again behind her.

"What's going on? You've been in here for ages. Are you…"

Lisa's voice trailed off as Sara pointed to the pregnancy test on the counter. The other woman's eyes widened as she stared at the test for a second, then Sara.

"Oh!" Lisa gasped. "Is that why Lenny has been in such a state today?"

"Yeah," Sara said, barely breathing out the word. ( _And the myriad of unexpected guests hasn't exactly helped_ , she thought, the slightest bit hysterically.)

"Ohhh," Lisa sighed, glancing back at the test.

"Yeah," Sara agreed, again, apparently unable to form any other words. She swallowed, trying to remember what count she'd been on before Lisa knocked.

"How are you feeling?" Lisa asked, taking a step closer to Sara and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm out of my mind nervous," she admitted, and then everything came spilling out in a rush. "I never, ever thought I could be a mom. Not once. But the thought of doing it with Len?" she surprised herself when her voice cracked, and suddenly she was crying. She covered her mouth, trying to stop the onslaught of tears. "It just…" she took a deep, shuddering breath. "It just makes me really happy, and I…" she trailed off, fighting a sob as Lisa pulled her into a warm embrace.

"Sara…" Lisa whispered.

"I don't know what I'm going to do if it turns out I'm not." Sara buried her face in Lisa's neck.

"Shh," Lisa rubbed her back. "If you're not, that just means you guys can keep…practicing. Although it seems like you're constantly 'practicing' as it is."

They both laughed, and Sara sighed, letting herself relax a little. "You know," she said, wiping tears from her face. "Earlier, I sort of…misplaced that test. Len got it into his head that _you_ must have taken it. He was convinced you were pregnant."

"What!" Lisa screeched, pulling back from Sara. "Well that explains the scary big brother act. He's such a weirdo, like I'd take a test from _your_ apartment at random? Who would do something like that?"

"Well…" Sara said, glancing at the door and indicating she wouldn't quite put it past any number of the crazy people they knew.

"Yeah I guess you have a point," Lisa admitted.

Sara's smile faltered as her eyes moved back to the test on the counter. "I don't know if it's done or not," she said. "I don't have my phone, I couldn't set a timer, so I've been guessing. And I just…I can't look."

Lisa drew her into another hug and Sara squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath as she rested her cheek against Lisa's shoulder.

"I'm so glad my brother found you," Lisa whispered. "He's never been so happy in his life as he is with you." Lisa hugged her a little tighter. "You're our family, Sara, no matter what that crazy family looks like. Nothing is going to change that."

"Thank you," Sara said, when she could finally find her voice.

Lisa pulled back, smiling and cupping Sara's cheek. "Take a minute. I'm going to tell Lenny you'll be right out. Just remember, there are a lot of people out there who love you both. We're all here for you."

Sara nodded, because that, at least, was something she'd never doubted.

When Lisa reached for the door, Sara felt a new flare of panic. "Wait. Would you mind…sitting with me? Just for a minute until I…" _Calm down? Stop worrying? Pull myself together?_

A flicker of surprise crossed Lisa's face, but she nodded. "I'll stay as long as you want," she said, sliding down to sit against the door, "but beware, my brother will probably force his way in here if we don't get back out there soon."

"We will," Sara promised, sitting down beside her. Lisa took her hand, rubbing soothing circles on the inside of her palm, and Sara leaned her head back, letting her eyes fall closed. Instead of worrying, she tried to blank her mind completely. _Why can't I face this?_

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Lisa's phone chimed, startling them both.

"You have one guess as to who it is," Lisa said, waving the phone at her.

"What'd he say?"

"He wants to know if everything's okay, and why you aren't answering his texts – I'll tell him you left your phone out there."

"Tell him I'm fine and we'll be out…soon."

"You want me to lie about how you're doing – got it."

"It's not lying," Sara said, defensively. "It's…fudging the truth a little."

"Mmhmm," Lisa said, as she texted him back. Sara had no idea if she'd fulfilled her request or not. "Okay, he said we have a couple more minutes then he's – yup, breaking the door down. His exact words." She held the phone up as if Sara needed to see the text as proof.

"He'd do it, too," Sara said, smiling at the thought of it.

"You _would_ think breaking a door down is romantic," Lisa scolded, but she was smiling a little, too. "And yeah, he'd do it – for you, that man would do anything."

 _Yeah_ , Sara thought. _I'd do anything for him, too_.

She glanced up at the test on the counter, blanching at the wave of nausea brought on by the mere thought of checking it.

 _It's just a test_ , she repeated to herself. _A test I can't even fail. I can do this._

 _Right?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Thanks so much for all the encouragement so far, we're really glad you guys are liking this! And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...Donna Smoak arrives! Oh, and Sara and Leonard find out the result of a certain test... Hope it was worth the wait!

* * *

The arrival of Donna Smoak and Quentin Lance was met with an eerily unnatural silence. No one in the apartment spoke or moved when Caitlin opened the front door – in fact, no one even _breathed_.

 _See what you've done?_ Leonard tried to glare the words into Felicity's head. _You've successfully terrified everyone here into doing their best Madame Tussauds impersonations. Good job_.

"Hello!" Donna said cheerfully, as she walked in. "We brought wine – oh." She stopped, taking a real look around and realizing exactly how many people were in the apartment, the vast majority standing or sitting in the living room. And nearly all eyes were on her and Quentin.

"Is this…are you having a party?" Donna's gaze shot over to Felicity, who waved her phone at them and then held up a finger to indicate she'd be a moment. " _Someone_ didn't tell us."

Leonard waited for Felicity to come over and take some of the heat off him, but he watched in astonishment as she just stared down at her phone, obviously pretending she had some vastly important business to take care of that conveniently let her avoid them.

Fine, if she wasn't going to step up, then… "Welcome," Leonard told the older couple, forcing himself to follow the social niceties of greeting them and accepting the wine. He turned to wave an arm around the room where everyone, sans Felicity, was still watching them. Unblinking. (Goddamn were these people creepy when they wanted to be.) "I think you know…most of the misfits here."

Everyone exchanged greetings and thankfully some of the tension in the room eased, as a few conversations came back to life and Mick turned the volume back up on the game.

Leonard took advantage of everyone's momentary distraction to check his phone, relieved to see a message back from Lisa.

" _Sara lost her phone. She's fine and we'll be out soon."_

He almost growled at the lack of information in the message. What was Sara doing in there? And was she pregnant, or not? What were they keeping from him?

" _Two minutes until I'm breaking down that door to see for myself."_ He punched in his response, suspicions running high. They had been hiding out for so long, it couldn't be good news, could it? Wouldn't Sara have wanted to tell him right away?

"Leonard," Donna shook him out of his thoughts. She half-smiled, half-sighed as she put a hand to his cheek. "It's so nice to see you," she said, fondly. "Although, I must say I'm hurt that you don't have time to visit us in Star City, but you have time to throw a party?"

Was that an accusation? Leonard blinked, no idea what to say.

"It's okay," she added, soothingly. "Truly, we understand and we don't want to inconvenience you or Sara. We know you've earned this break after all that you both do – no details, please – Quentin can only take so much."

"I'm fine, Donna," Sara's father interjected from behind them.

Leonard was about to turn and give him a real greeting when Donna gripped his shoulder, keeping him in place. "It must be so tiring for you two, hmm?" she continued. "Much more exhausting than, oh, being a police captain in charge of an _entire precinct_ …"

So Felicity hadn't been kidding then – he thought he'd seen Donna at her most passive-aggressive before, but this was approaching a new level.

And then Wells wandered over – and Len never thought he'd say it – but thank God for that man.

"Donna," Wells greeted, with more enthusiasm than Leonard had seen from him in maybe…ever (few interactions that he'd witnessed with Caitlin Snow notwithstanding). "I'm Harrison Wells. I've heard so much about you, but no one told me how lovely you are." Wells even _kissed her hand_. Jesus, was this guy from the 1950's or what?

Like a switch had been flipped, Donna's full attention was instantly on him. "Leonard never told me he had such dashing friends!"

"Let me get you a drink," Wells offered, pointing to the kitchen, and she gladly accompanied him out of the living room.

Leonard let out an actual sigh of relief and sought out Caitlin's eyes nearby to mouth " _Marry him_ " at her. Caitlin merely rolled her eyes and then – did she throw a Dorito at him?!

"Why's she throwing food at you?" Quentin asked, reminding Len of his presence.

"I'm helping her make the correct future life decisions," Leonard explained. He made sure to speak his next words loudly for her benefit: "This is how she shows gratitude!"

Quentin abruptly flung his arm out and for a brief moment – _Does he already know about Sara?! –_ Leonard thought he was about to be punched. Instead, the detective merely grabbed another chip before it struck him in the side of the head.

Leonard spun around. "Really, Snow?"

She took a few steps back and then fled to the kitchen – good, she'd get what she deserved in there with Donna Smoak.

"You'll have to forgive my wife," Quentin was saying. "Donna gets a little…protective. She was upset when Sara said she didn't know if she'd be able to make it home for a visit. That's why we came out here."

"I don't remember Sara ever saying that," Len said. "In fact, she told me she was hoping we could visit you next week. Maybe Donna misunderstood?"

"Entirely possible," Quentin said, agreeably. "But I don't mind coming to Central City; it's nice to have a weekend away. How have you two been?"

 _Well your daughter is taking a pregnancy test right now – I think. How about that?_

"We've been…great." He racked his mind for anything to pass the time until Sara returned. "Want a snack? A drink?"

"Water's fine," Quentin said, heading toward the kitchen. "Where's my baby girl, anyways?"

"Bathroom, she should be right out." _God willing_. If not, he had a door to break down.

On his way to the kitchen, Leonard reached out to grab Felicity's arm and pull her with him. She went quite unwillingly, literally digging in her heels until Quentin glanced back at them – then she was quick to stop fighting, covering her resistance with a wave and a fake smile.

"I'm not suffering them alone," Len warned her, voice low.

"I have to live in the same city as them," she hissed back. " _And_ I grew up with my mother. Meanwhile, you get to live far away _and_ go off to – wherever it is that you go. You can't let me have a few minutes alone?"

He didn't even pretend to think about it. "Nope."

"There's my beautiful daughter!" Donna cried as they entered the kitchen. "Didn't even give me a proper greeting, do you all see how I'm slighted by my one-and-only, the love of my life, the light of my days, the –"

"They get it, mom," Felicity said, though she smiled as her mother kissed both her cheeks and then wrapped her up in a tight hug. "It's good to see you, too. Even if you did drop by unannounced."

"I called," Donna defended herself. "When Sara didn't answer, I tried you." She pulled back, running her hand over Felicity's cheek. "You look wonderful, honey."

"Unannounced, hmm?" Leonard asked, looking at Felicity.

"I called!" Felicity defended herself to him. "When Sara didn't answer, I…" She momentarily froze, shooting a glance at her mother and then back at Leonard in horror.

 _That's right, Smoak_ , his look told her, smugly. _You're turning into your mother_.

"I'll take that wine," Felicity told him, yanking the bottle he'd pretty much forgotten he was holding out of his hand. She rummaged frantically through drawers before finding an opener for it.

"Do you need it that badly, honey?" Donna asked, as Felicity just looked at her and then twisted the cork out. No one said anything as she poured some for herself and took several gulps without offering a glass to anyone else.

Quentin held up his bottle of water. "This is some…premium water," he said, clearly trying to ease the tension. "Tastes great."

"That brand is bottled at Central City's own aquifers," Wells said. And of course he would know that completely useless information.

"Fascinating," Quentin said, as the two men nodded at each other, and Leonard shut his eyes. Sara was going to pay for leaving him alone out here – he didn't know how, but he'd think of _something_.

"I feel like we never see you anymore," Donna was telling her daughter, somewhat scolding. "We literally have to surprise you to get in a visit nowadays. You always have excuses."

Felicity set her wine glass down. "That's not – okay maybe that's true, but I swear I'm not making excuses. I just always…happen to be busy…when you want to see me."

Donna's expression made even Leonard feel guilty – and she wasn't talking to him. "As memory serves, Felicity, you told me you were busy thisweekend. Then at the last moment you were suddenly 'heading out of town'. I guess you weren't quite so tied up with work?"

"This was an emergency," Felicity back-pedaled. "Thea went through a very bad break-up this week and needed to get away."

"She seems to be doing just fine," Donna said, gesturing toward the living room where they could hear Thea and Mick laughing together.

"Trust me mom, that is not what 'fine' looks like," Felicity groaned.

Donna merely gave a long-suffering sigh. "We get it, honey. It's sad it's come to this, but we know you need your independence. It's natural that you'd want to start breaking away."

"Mom, I'm only a few years away from 30," Felicity's voice cracked on that sentence. "I've been on my own for a _very_ long time."

"You're so young to not need me anymore," Donna said, eyes welling with tears. "Isn't she _young_ , Quentin?"

"Yeah, very young," he agreed, vaguely

"I mean, who knows how many years Quentin and I have left, but…"

"Oh don't worry about that, hon," Quentin said. "We're around the same age as Leonard, here! If he's holding up this well, I think we'll be good for a long, long time."

Caitlin started laughing – far too hard for such a feeble joke, Leonard thought, as he tried unsuccessfully to glare her into stopping. _Laugh it up, Snow. Karma will get you_.

And apparently karma came in the form of Donna Smoak, as Caitlin's laughter drew her attention – which the older woman quickly switched to the man standing next to Caitlin.

"I don't see a wedding ring on your finger, Harrison," Donna said, not-so-slyly.

"Don't even think it, mom," Felicity said quickly. "He's taken."

"Too bad, you would have been perfect for three or four of my friends," Donna lamented. "But I already suspected you and Caitlin were together."

As luck would have it, Caitlin had just taken a sip of her water when Donna spoke – and she promptly inhaled it, causing her to burst out in a fit of coughs. Wells hit her on the back and she nodded to indicate she was fine, but she had to turn away from them to catch her breath.

Felicity seemed impressed that her mother had made that leap when Caitlin and Wells hadn't even done anything to indicate a relationship – real _or_ fake. "Mom, how did you…"

Donna raised an eyebrow. "Please, honey. I know all." Was it Leonard's imagination, or did she say that last part while speaking directly to him?

When Wells didn't say anything, Felicity nodded exaggeratedly toward Caitlin, who was still coughing sporadically…though Leonard was now 100% sure it was just a cover for trying to hide her lingering laughter.

"Is she okay?" Donna asked, alarmed. "She seems to be choking!"

"Oh right, I should…check." Wells seemed none too concerned as he glanced over at Caitlin, clearly seeing what was really going on. "Are you alright?" he asked her loudly, for Donna's benefit, and Caitlin managed to wave him off.

Wells turned back to Donna. "I think she'll survive, but on the off-chance she doesn't, I'll give you a call and you can set me up with someone else." His voice held far too much amusement when he added, "Preferably someone who can sip a drink without risking her life."

Donna looked a bit shocked – thankfully Caitlin spun back around at that moment, biting her lip to try and recover.

"Ignore him," Caitlin said, "he thinks he has a sense of humor."

" _Thinks_ ," Wells repeated, shaking his head. "You're a liar. You laugh all the time."

"Yeah, I do." She grinned up at him and Wells gave her a little wink, wrapping an arm loosely around her waist. Leonard held back a smirk at the flash of surprise that crossed Caitlin's face at the gesture.

Donna clapped her hands together. "You two are so sweet, do I see wedding bells in the future?" She shot a look at Felicity. "You'll surely beat my daughter down the aisle – she's taking her time."

"Stop pressuring them like you do me and Sara," Felicity ordered.

Caitlin looked increasingly uneasy about where the conversation was going. "Uh, we should get back in the other room," she said, glancing up at Wells. "You're missing the game…honey."

"What game?" he asked, blankly.

"What game!" Caitlin repeated, too brightly, and Leonard figured he was the only one who noticed how tightly she was squeezing Wells' hand in warning. "He's such a kidder."

"Oh right," Wells said, in monotone, "I…love sports." He lifted their joined hands in what seemed to be a well-practiced move and spun Caitlin away from him, which caused her to laugh. "After you."

Donna sighed as they left the room, then searched out her husband's gaze. "Is there anything better than young love, honey?"

"I'm pretty sure Harrison Wells is older than me," he pointed out.

Donna just smiled knowingly at him. "Young at _heart_ , Quentin. You know a little something about that. Remember on our honeymoon –"

"For the love of God!" Felicity yelled. "Go no further." (Yeah, Leonard was inclined to agree with her on that one.)

At that moment, Palmer wandered in, obliviously interrupting in a way that only he could. "Donna, I hope you know how happy I was to hear you were stopping by!"

"It's wonderful to see you, too, Ray," Donna said, warmly. "By the way…are you still single?"

"As a matter of fact –"

"He's still single!" Donna happily interrupted him, as she turned to her daughter.

"Mom. I'm with Oliver."

"I know. I'm just saying you have…options."

"Richer options?" Felicity asked, dryly.

"You said it, not me," Donna told her, breezily. "I just want to make sure you're with someone who truly appreciates you." She shot a look at Ray. "You appreciate my daughter, right?"

Ray seemed unsure how to answer that. "Uh…yes?"

"See?" Donna asked, nudging Felicity's arm.

"Ray and I are not getting back together just because he has a lot of money and you are insane."

"I never suggested such a thing!" Donna exclaimed, looking around for support. "Did I ever suggest such a thing? I know you and Oliver are happy – most of the time – but you must admit you've had your issues and it's not like either of you are rushing to get married, now are you?"

Felicity slumped onto one of the bar stools and Leonard felt an actual pang of sympathy for her.

"Who needs marriage?" Leonard asked, trying to help her out.

"I love that my daughter's _boyfriend_ is asking such a thing," Quentin grumbled.

"Plenty of people can be happy without marriage," Ray unexpectedly defended them. "Take me, I'm content with my love life right now."

" _What_ love life?" Leonard challenged.

Ray just shook his head at him. "You people pry a lot."

Leonard _almost_ couldn't believe Palmer had said that with a straight face.

That was when Thea ventured into the kitchen, pulling open cabinets at random until she found the one with all the liquor Felicity had tried to hide. Ray swiped bottles away from her as she pulled them down one by one, but he seemed to be fighting a losing battle

"Thea, we talked about this. You've had enough for tonight," Felicity said.

"I need more to block out the pain," Thea insisted, grabbing another bottle and side-stepping Ray. "You know what it's like – remember all the horrible break-ups you've had, Felicity?"

Felicity scowled. "It's wasn't _that_ many."

Quentin reached over, taking the bottle from Thea's grasp. "Honey, if they think you've had enough, maybe you should stop."

"Yeah, you'll regret it in the morning," Donna said. "Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."

"You're not my parents," Thea mumbled, frowning at them.

"So what," Quentin challenged, "you think that means we don't love you?"

Donna nodded in agreement with her husband, and Thea looked between them, seeming precariously on the verge of crying.

"I love you guys, too," she whispered, as Donna pulled her into a hug.

Despite himself, Leonard was somewhat awed at the display. They had no tangible connection to Thea except as a friend of their two daughters, and yet their caring was genuine.

"You guys are the closest thing I have to parents now," Thea was saying, through her tears. "Besides you two, I just have my creepy dad letting himself into my apartment once a month at midnight to remind me he'll kill anyone I want him to."

Donna patted her on the back, comfortingly. "Oh, Thea, I know your dad might be…a mass murderer. But I have no doubt he loves you."

Thea only started crying harder as Donna glanced at her husband, clearly looking for help.

"Maybe don't mention the 'mass murderer' part so haphazardly," Quentin hissed, rubbing Thea's back.

Leonard just hoped the mention of Malcolm Merlyn wouldn't suddenly summon the man, as so often happened. He glanced down the hallway toward his bedroom and the spare rooms, just in case – nothing so far, but they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Why don't I take Thea back into the living room to…take a nap?" Ray offered, as Donna gratefully handed off the teary girl and he pulled her out of the room with him.

"I'll come with you," Quentin said, following. "What's the score on the game?"

"Sara's been in the bathroom for quite some time," Donna complained, once it was just her, Felicity, and Leonard left in the kitchen. "What could be taking her so long?"

Leonard nearly choked on a chip as he tried to think of an excuse that wouldn't give anything away. He finally settled on, "She wasn't feeling too well earlier."

"So you decided to have over a house full of company?" Donna asked, sharply.

Leonard bit back on his initial kneejerk reply to say, calmly, "Sara invited some of them. The others showed up on their own." He carefully didn't look at Donna when he said that, though the unspoken implication was pretty clear.

"Wait," Donna said, sounding much too… _thoughtful_. "Sara's been holed up in the bathroom all evening…" She turned her eyes up to the ceiling and put a finger to her chin.

"It's been like ten minutes!" Felicity tried, but Donna ignored her.

"And _you've_ been acting shifty since we got here," Donna continued, waving at Leonard. "I know that's not entirely out of character for you, but…" she gasped, putting a hand to her chest in sudden realization. "Oh my heart – Sara's _pregnant_ , isn't she?"

Leonard was speechless. He looked at Felicity, but she was too deep in her wine glass to be of any help to him. "I told you she would know," Felicity was mumbling. "She knows everything."

Donna didn't miss her daughter's words, either. "It's true, isn't it?" she practically squealed.

"Well, it's – you see…" Leonard stuttered, still at a loss.

"Oh, do you not know yet? Is she taking the test right now?" Donna guessed, and Leonard was impressed – both at Donna's astuteness and Felicity's uncanny prediction coming true.

"Yes," he admitted, because what else could he say? He had this strange feeling she'd _know_ if he lied to her.

Donna clapped excitedly, looking like she was about to burst with joy. "This is amazing, oh I'm so happy for you both!" she gushed. "Well that settles it, I mean I was already considering it, but now there's no question – I'm telling Quentin we _have_ to start looking at apartments in Central City. I just can't be hundreds of miles away from my first grandbaby!"

 _Oh. No_. Leonard shot his eyes to Felicity, wondering if she'd try to encourage her mother to move after all the complaints she'd been issuing about her all night. To his surprise, the younger woman only seemed…hurt.

"Mom, what about me?" Felicity asked, softly.

"Have you ever thought about moving to Central City?" Donna asked, somewhat absently, as she clutched her hands to her heart and grinned at Leonard.

"We don't know anything yet," Leonard cautioned, trying to temper Donna's enthusiasm. He felt bad for Felicity – he hadn't had a mother in a long time, but he could imagine how much it'd hurt if she wanted to move six hundred miles away from him.

"I have a very good feeling about this," Donna said to him, completely oblivious to Felicity's reaction. "And my intuition is almost always spot on about these kinds of things!"

"You've thought I was pregnant at least half a dozen times," Felicity reminded her.

"I said 'almost,'" Donna said, defensively, then looked back to Leonard. "I just know there is good news waiting for you, honey." Her eyes took on a dreamy, faraway look.

Leonard shot his eyes over to the bathroom, and for the first time tonight, Felicity seemed to notice his concern.

"Mom," she said, "why don't we go join the others and let Leonard check on Sara?"

"Okay," Donna said, flashing him a grin. "We'll be waiting for you two."

 _That's reassuring_ , Leonard thought, sarcastically, rubbing a hand over his face. Once they were gone, he opened the fridge, trying to distract himself, and rummaged through it for a water. Just as he grabbed one, he noticed a tiny corner of black plastic peeking out of the vegetable drawer. He opened it, and sure enough it was Sara's phone, the lock screen full of notifications for missed calls and messages.

 _I hope that's just pregnancy brain,_ he thought, pocketing it – then stopped himself as he realized…he _did_ hope she was pregnant. Not just because he didn't want anything else to be wrong with her, but because…he just wanted it.

That settled it. He _needed_ to see Sara. He pulled out his phone to tell his sister as much when the bathroom door opened and Lisa emerged, heading straight for him.

"What's going on?" he asked, unable to keep the worry from his question.

"She's having a hard time," Lisa admitted, voice low even though there was no one left in the kitchen to overhear.

 _A "hard time"?_ Leonard thought, suddenly panicked. _But why, is it –_

"She's just nervous," she added, at the stricken look on Leonard's face. "You should probably go in there." Then she sighed, placing a finger on his chest and eyeing him reproachfully. "And by the way, if I thought I was pregnant, the _last_ thing I would do is take a test in my brother's apartment."

"You've done much stranger things," he accused.

"I'm…maturing," she insisted. Her face softened, and she leaned up to brush a kiss across his cheek. "It'll be fine, Lenny," she whispered, smiling at him.

She left him with a conspiratorial wink as she walked back to the living room. And he realized she was right – she really was different than she used to be…and maybe, he thought grudgingly, he had Cisco Ramon to thank for part of that. But, he thought, glancing over as Lisa returned to the living room, he still didn't like the look on the kid's face when his sister sat in his lap.

He turned away, thoughts shifting elsewhere. If what Lisa said was even half-true, the last thing he needed was for Sara to see him worried; he was determined to calm his nerves before he saw her.

He managed to count to ten. That was all he could take before he strode over to the bathroom, knocking lightly on the door.

"Sara?" he asked, before trying the handle – it was unlocked. He took one last deep breath, and opened the door.

* * *

Sara jumped off the floor, heart leaping at the sound of Leonard's voice. She stepped back as the door opened, giving him room to enter.

He shut the door behind him, leaning back against it as their eyes were immediately drawn to each other. "Lance," he announced, dramatically, "you've been in here for _days_."

She gripped the edge of the sink next to her. "It's barely been fifteen minutes."

"It feels much longer than that," he insisted. "Maybe because you left me alone with those people."

"Hey, it's not like I've had it much easier in here." There was a catch in her voice that she knew gave her away, and she felt the inexplicable urge to start crying again. So much for trying to be strong – she didn't have it in her at the moment. She launched herself at him, pushing them both back into the door.

"Okay," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. "Okay."

"Thank God you're here," she muttered, pressing her face into his shirt. All she could feel was relief; everything seemed so much better now that he was with her, now that she didn't have to face this answer alone.

"You know I had to fight off about a hundred of our most annoying 'friends' to make it to you."

She knew he was joking (mostly), but she could only groan in response, burying her face deeper into his chest and breathing in the smell of him. He was here and that alone held her together, even as she teetered on the verge of falling apart.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently, humor fading as he rubbed her back with one hand and cradled her head with the other. For a moment she lost herself in that comfort, pushing everything else away. _It's going to be okay now._

"Well," she sighed, reluctantly. "I took it." She pulled away from him and gestured, dismally, to the test. "But, I can't look," she admitted, feeling completely defeated. _I can't do it._ "Why am I afraid of this? I'm not afraid of _anything_."

He took her hands in his, and she leaned back, tugging at his arms and searching his face in desperate need of…something. Like maybe he had an answer for her when she'd had absolutely no luck finding one herself.

Instead of answering her question, though, he just said, "We all have our fears. Know what I'm afraid of the most?"

She shook her head.

"A life without you."

She couldn't help the small smile that flashed on her face at that. But then the worry came crashing back, and she looked down, biting her lip. He nudged his thigh against hers to get her to look at him again.

"What are you afraid of, Lance?"

She huffed, looking up at the ceiling and shaking her head slightly, mouth opening and closing a few times with no sound.

Finally, she found her voice. "I'm afraid…" She swallowed. "I don't know, that this is some god-awful practical joke from the universe?" She felt her voice rising, face suddenly hot. "That someone is going to jump out and yell 'gotcha!'" She let out a hollow laugh. "It's hard to believe that good things are meant for me. Things like this?" She pointed from him to her, indicating the two of them and what they had together. "This is unbelievable enough. So that?" Her hand moved weakly toward the test. "It feels impossible."

"Sara –"

"I've done a lot of horrible things," she whispered. "What if…I don't deserve this?"

She took a deep breath in and slowly let it out, pushing down the anger, the bitterness, the fear. _I don't deserve this._ There, she'd said it. She hung her head, avoiding Len's gaze.

"You deserve _everything_." The way he said it, with so much conviction – almost like a threat, like he'd hurt anyone who dared disagree – had her lifting her eyes cautiously to meet his.

"But I –"

"Everything," he insisted, vehemently. "You think good things aren't meant for you? Where have you _been_? The universe has already proven you wrong."

"What do you –"

"What's on the other side of that door?"

"Is that a trick question?" she tried to joke.

He just shook his head. "Your life is _full_ of good things – people who happen to be here right now, in fact."

She said nothing, letting his words sink in.

"Lance, you have more people in this apartment right now who care about you than I had in total for my _entire_ life – until I met you. They all love you." He lowered his voice. "And you _deserve it_."

He was right. So right. "You know they love you, too."

He tilted his head. "Some more than others."

"And me more than all of them. Combined."

He kissed the corner of her mouth and added, "You want to talk about undeserving? Me finding you is proof the universe can forgive damn near anyone."

For a moment, she struggled to breathe. "It's not that I'm ungrateful for the things we have. I know how wonderful our life is. I just…in the back of my mind there's always this worry and I'm…"

"Scared," he said, as her eyes snapped up to his. "You're scared you're going to lose anything good you've managed to find in your life."

"How do you…?"

"Because I feel that way, too. But worrying doesn't get us anywhere, does it? It doesn't prevent the bad things from happening, all it does is make us miserable. What's the point? Why are we thinking about what might _possibly_ go wrong when we should be thinking about all the things that can – and will – go right?"

She glanced over at the sink. "Like..."

He followed her gaze. "This is not the defining moment for us. Even if it's negative, that doesn't mean it'll never happen. It doesn't mean we can't have it." She looked back at him, shivering at the intensity in his eyes as he put his hands on either side of her face. "All it means is that now…we know we want it."

"You want it, too?" she breathed, heart in her throat.

"Yes," he sighed. "I want it, too." He released her face and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "It's not something I ever thought I could have, either. But," he swallowed. "My life's different now. _Our_ lives are different. Anything's possible." His face broke into a half-smile. "Hell, I'm even…sort of…friends with Raymond Palmer."

She gasped. "And you admit it? Are you sure this isn't another one of Barry's alternate timelines?"

"Well, I use the term 'friend' loosely," he said quickly. "And only because of how surly Mick gets when I'm overly mean to the guy."

"Yeah, yeah, try to justify it any way you can. We both know you _love him_ –"

"Stop talking," he warned, "or I'll make you."

"Ooh, sounds promis–"

He kissed her as she was laughing, but he had to know by now that was never a deterrent with her – quite the opposite, actually. She proved it by pushing him back against the door, stepping up on her toes to deepen the kiss. He hummed in agreement, one of his hands wandering lazily up her back as the other trailed down her hip. She melted into it, and for a while they stayed like that, lost in each other.

"I know he's the fourth speed dial in your phone," she goaded when she pulled back, biting at his lower lip.

"You're really testing me, you know that?" he sighed, nipping at her in return. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, lightly, though she was grinning at him. In less than a minute, the tension had dissipated from her body. _How can he always do that to me?_

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "We can do this."

"You really think so?" she asked.

"Is there anything we can't do?" He rested his forehead against hers.

She sighed, rubbing small circles against his neck with her thumbs. She smiled softly as his hands slid to her hips and she tilted her chin up, every doubt falling away as they kissed again. This kiss went even deeper, to a promise they'd made each other long ago: The two of them together. Through everything. No matter what.

She didn't doubt anything with him beside her. They were living, breathing proof of the impossible already. They'd both been to hell and back and now here they were, two broken halves made whole, together.

"Is everyone going to wonder why we've been in here for so long?" she asked, remembering they had an apartment full of company.

"Too bad if they are," Leonard said, unconcerned, lips brushing her ear. "You're missing quite the show out there, by the way. Thea, in particular, is pretty far gone, but Ray said he'd watch her to make sure she doesn't drink anymore."

Sara frowned, struggling to focus as Leonard trailed light kisses down her neck. "Remember her plan to seduce him – are you sure he's just babysitting and not…occupying her in other ways?"

"Palmer the Boy Scout? He'd probably make her take a breathalyzer before even thinking of going there. Besides, she's so far gone she'd be making out with one of our new throw pillows before she managed to land one on Ray." He spoke the last part into her neck and Sara shivered at his warm breath there.

"We have new throw pillows?" she asked, sighing at the pressure of his lips against her skin.

He took so long to answer that Sara almost forgot what they were talking about. "You didn't notice either?" he asked. "We can be strangely unobservant sometimes."

"Gee, I wonder why."

He laughed. "Thank our personal shopper for the pillows. Did you know he subscribes us to Pottery Barn catalogs?"

She chuckled, placing a kiss at Leonard's jaw and grudgingly shaking herself out of the clouded haze his kisses had left her in. "I know. It's too endearing for me to throw them away."

"Well, Felicity took care of that for us," he said, small smile playing on his lips.

"Why would she do that?" Sara asked.

He seemed lost for a moment as he studied her, not understanding. Then he sucked in a sharp breath. "I just remembered…" He closed his eyes, as if bracing himself. "Donna and your dad are here."

"Oh," she said, falsely bright, feeling a little punched in the gut at the news. Although at this point, after everything else they'd had to deal with all day, was it even surprising? "Great," she added, sarcastically. "This is definitely the most privacy we'll get all evening."

"Right," he agreed. "Probably the perfect moment to…" his eyes moved to the test on the sink, jolting her back to the situation at hand. "At this rate, we may never have another chance." He sent another look toward the door. "For the rest of our lives."

She exhaled through her teeth, breathing out a long sigh. "I guess so." If Donna was here, they were working on borrowed time as it was – Sara was certain that her step-mother would be banging on the door any moment, demanding to see her. _It really is now or never_.

She took a step toward the sink, wringing her hands.

"We just have to do it. Like ripping off a Band-Aid," Leonard suggested.

"Mmhmm," she hummed, brow furrowing. Was she imagining it, or did that test look like it was about to reach out and bite her?

She hesitated for a few more moments, seemingly paralyzed as she hovered mere inches from the sink. That's when she felt Leonard step into her space, his solid presence at her back keeping her there, and she unconsciously leaned against him. He ran his hands down her arms, soothing her as he entwined his fingers with hers.

"We can do it," he said, dipping his head down to rest on her shoulder. Gently, he guided her to pick up the test. She felt herself flinch back involuntarily, but he held her steady, giving her a moment to steel herself as they held the answer to the biggest question they'd ever had between their joined hands.

She took a deep breath. "We can do it," she repeated, body tensing with nervous anticipation.

"Ready?" he asked, voice a warm comfort at her ear.

"As I'll ever be," she agreed, even though she was trembling. He tightened his hold around her.

This was it – no more delays or excuses or distractions. A thousand what-ifs flew through her mind as her heart raced – or was that Len's heart racing against her back? – urging her with every beat to just _take the next damn step already_.

She twisted the test around.

" _Oh_ ," Leonard said, softly, as they stared at the answer they'd been waiting for.

Sara swore her heart stopped, time stopped, the _whole world_ stopped.

She stood another moment in frozen disbelief until finally, her body caught up to her mind. She spun around in Leonard's arms, grasping his face with one hand and clutching the test in the other.

"I'm pregnant," she said, stunned.

His mouth curved up into the most wonderful smile she'd ever seen.

"You're pregnant," he agreed.

She laughed, incredulous, and he tangled his hands in her hair, laughing as he kissed her. She reached her arms around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he caught her, holding her securely against him.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, voice a whisper as she rested her nose against his.

"I love you," he said simply, in return. His blue eyes searched hers, and she smiled

"I love you, too." She nuzzled into his neck, sighing happily, just the tiniest bit delirious. Twenty-four hours ago, she would never have believed this was possible – and all afternoon, she hadn't dared to hope. She closed her eyes against the tears she couldn't stop from falling, holding Leonard a little tighter. His arms tightened around her, too.

She felt like she could have stayed hugging him forever, but a loud crash from the living room had them both starting.

"Sounds like we need to get out there," Leonard murmured, not loosening his hold, even as she dropped her feet back to the floor. "God knows what they're doing – but I'm sure this'll be good practice for when there actually _is_ a child living here. Or two. Or six."

" _Six_? You better find yourself five surrogates then because I don't need to spend the majority of the next decade pregnant."

"We'll do it in batches," he suggested. "Have twins or triplets. Not for nothing, but you don't know that it isn't either of those right now."

"You need to stop talking." She paused when they heard distant shouting, probably from the living room. "They're making it really easy to want to stay in here. Let's just hide for a while longer." She kissed his neck to punctuate her statement.

"Very tempting," he admitted, as she trailed her fingers along his scalp.

"You _did_ promise me a reward for taking this test," she prodded. The fact that it was positive, that she _was_ pregnant, that she was having a baby, with Len – still seemed so surreal.

"That I did." He kissed her, long and slow, wiping all other thoughts from her mind. "And believe me, I intend to make good on it. But…" he sighed. "Your dad and Donna are still waiting to see you." Sara's stomach dropped, the reminder effectively snapping her out of the warm glow of the moment.

She dropped her head to his shoulder. "Alright," she relented, "should we tell them?"

They both looked back down at the positive test in her hand.

"Half of them knew what you were doing in here anyway," he said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head a little. "I doubt we could keep it from them even if we tried. It's not like anyone around here can keep a damn secret."

Sara smiled, taking Leonard's hand in hers. "They're our family," she reminded him.

To her surprise, he nodded. "Well," he said, returning her smile. "Let's go tell them that family is about to get a little bit bigger."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone for all the kind feedback on the last chapter! We're so happy you guys liked it, and of course, yes! Sara is pregnant! Now they just have to tell everyone... Expect some more team/family fluff as everyone finds out before we wrap up this story (so knowing us, we still have a ways to go, haha). Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"Alright," Sara said, as they stepped into the kitchen, "we know you guys are…"

"Not here," Len filled in as they looked around the decidedly empty room.

"How long were we in the bathroom?" Sara asked.

"Not long enough for everyone to disappear," Leonard told her, "but I'm not one to question our good fortune. You go make sure the windows by the fire escape are locked and I'll barricade the front door."

That was when they heard Ray from the living room – they couldn't make out his low words, but his tone sounded none too happy.

"We were so close to being free," Len sighed, as they made their way to see what the issue was.

They were greeted by the sight of Ray bent over Thea and wrestling to hold her down on the couch. Ray was panting; Thea had a wicked grin on her face (and honestly, seemed to be only toying with him).

"Uh…you guys need some privacy?" Sara teased, eyebrows raised.

Ray's head whipped around at the sound of her voice, eyes widening as his gaze darted between Sara and Leonard. He sprang away from Thea, the struggle suddenly forgotten.

"How could you guys leave me here?" Ray hissed at the two of them, letting Thea fall back on the couch. She sighed and stretched out like a cat, snuggling into one of the new throw pillows. ( _Oh, those are nice,_ Sara mused, noticing them for the first time.)

"For what, babysitting duty?" Leonard asked, tilting his head as he looked from Thea back to Ray. "Well, you did volunteer."

"But where did the others go?" Sara asked. She kept one eye on Thea, not at all sure her sudden compliance wasn't some kind of trick.

Ray harrumphed, waving a hand dismissively. "When Donna heard the unit next to ours was opening up, she insisted on a tour of our apartment since it's almost the same. Mick took everyone downstairs to see it." He sighed, glancing back at the young woman, still innocently curled up on the couch. "Except Thea wanted to stay here and 'chat.' And she was _oh so_ _chatty_."

Ray's eyes narrowed as he turned back to Sara and Leonard, seemingly trying to glare at them – and failing spectacularly, Sara thought, as his face instantly fell into a pained expression instead. "I can't believe what Thea told me," he moaned, visibly upset.

"Wait – Thea told you?" Sara tried to keep her expression blank, but she knew she was failing. Trust that Thea had told Ray the news in the few minutes since everyone had left!

"So it's true," Ray said solemnly. Sara and Leonard exchanged a glance, eyes silently wondering… "About the _baby_ ," Ray added, voice low, giving them a pointed look.

Sara gaped, looking toward Len, who seemed as stunned as she was. No point in denying it, she supposed, although Ray's obvious disapproval wasn't the reaction she'd been expecting.

"Ray," Sara started, placing a hand lightly on his arm. "We didn't mean to upset you –"

She stopped short, as suddenly Ray seemed on the verge of tears.

"Did you ever stop to think about what this would do to me?" Ray was only looking at Sara now. "What it would do to _all_ of us?" His voice broke. "You _know_ how much you guys mean to me!"

"Uh…" Sara stuttered. Was Ray actually upset that she was pregnant? It sounded like he was concerned that things would change, and she hadn't thought that far ahead yet, but…he was probably right. Things _would_ change. Permanently.

She felt tears spring to her own eyes as her heart sank. If even Ray, the most cheerful of them all, wasn't happy, then how would everyone else react to the news? She glanced at Leonard, who was just scowling at Ray. It looked like he was deliberately holding back, maybe choosing not to speak because he didn't trust what he might say.

"I mean, couldn't you have at least warned me this was coming?" Ray continued, voice squeaking.

"It's not like we planned for this," Sara explained, defensively, her pain swinging to frustration in an instant. "It surprised us, too, you know. We weren't exactly…trying."

"You weren't even _trying_?" Ray gasped. "Your relationship is worth more than that; you should have fought for each other! And now…" he sniffled. Actually _sniffled_. "Now you're just going to break up?"

"What?" Leonard finally interjected.

"Sara, I want you to know I don't blame you in the slightest," Ray added, ignoring him. Leonard's mouth actually dropped at that, his expression turning dark as Ray took Sara's hands in his. "Why," Ray continued, "even I, on occasion, have been caught under the spell of Oliver's charms."

"Oliver?" Sara frowned, yanking her hands out of his grasp. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"'What does he have to do with anything,'" Ray repeated, sighing. Then he turned to Len, jaw set and eyes blazing. "Leonard, I promise you he won't get away with this – it really is the last straw. First he stole my girlfriend. Now he's stolen Sara away from you…" He rubbed a hand over his face. "The man has to be reigned in – why, to not even use protection with another man's woman!" Ray was getting more and more upset.

Sara wasn't sure if she could wrap her mind around this, but she was trying. It seemed like Ray thought she was having Oliver's child and that she and Leonard were breaking up because of it – but where would he have gotten such a completely ridiculous idea?!

"Ray," she began, carefully, "why on earth do you think it's Oliver's?"

"It's not his," Leonard said, trying to correct him. "It's _mine_."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Ray told Len, somberly. "But hey, it's the 21st century, you don't have to break up just because Sara's having another man's baby!"

"I'm _not_ having Oliver's baby," Sara insisted. She supposed she should have been more upset at Ray, but it was just so laughably absurd that she was having a hard time feeling anything but confusion.

"You mean you're not keeping it?" Ray asked, stunned.

"No!" Sara gasped. "I mean, yes, I'm keeping it – but it's _not_ Oliver's. Come on, Ray, I've been on the Waverider with you guys for the past, like, two and a half months. When would I have had time to sleep with Oliver?"

"Not the reasoning I'd hoped you'd use," Leonard said, frowning.

"And I'm in love with Leonard," she added, exasperated.

"You two don't have to pretend for my sake," Ray said.

"We're not pretending," Leonard growled.

"Oh yeah?" Ray asked. "Then why is Thea over there prattling on about how she's going to be the world's best aunt? And looking at baby _Arrow_ Halloween costumes on her phone? I admit, at first I was convinced Felicity had pulled one over on all of us, but then I found the incontrovertible proof." He grabbed Thea's phone amidst her protests, hit a button, and held it up to them. "I'd like to see you two refute _this_!"

On the screen was a text message Thea had sent to _Ollie._ " _Better get here quick. Sara's having U baby_!"

Leonard sent Sara a questioning look. "Why would Thea think you were having Oliver's baby, hmm? Isthere something you're not telling me?"

For a second, Sara believed he was serious, until she caught the glint in his eyes. "Thea is _drunk_!" Sara reminded him. And Ray. "She must have mistyped that text. Look, it doesn't even say 'ur', it says 'u'."

"You don't have to lie anymore, Sara," Len assured her. "The Queens annoy me enough and now I have to _raise_ one, too?" He mock sighed, before patting her on the arm. "I suppose I could do it. For you."

Oh no, there was no hope if he kept playing along – they'd never get Ray (or Thea) back under control. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop it and tell Ray –"

"You're such a good man, Len," Ray interrupted, covering his mouth with his hand, sounding in awe. "What you're doing, accepting this child as your own…it's truly admirable." He looked off into space. "What this world would be if only _half_ the men were as good as you."

"Oh for…" Sara leaned against the back of the couch in disbelief as Ray shook Leonard's hand and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's not true, Ray! Leonard, tell him it's not true."

"It's done, Sara," Ray said. "And it's okay."

"No, it's not okay, because it's not true!" she protested, motioning for Leonard to speak. Infuriatingly, he just smiled at her and then shrugged helplessly as if there was _absolutely nothing_ he could do to help.

"Remember that you're making me do this," Ray said with disappointment. "Thea, what did you say about her and Oliver?" he called over his shoulder.

"Oh, they're disgusting!" Thea groaned, swaying up and off the couch to finally come join their conversation. "They're so in love I can hardly even look at them sometimes." She wrapped an arm around Sara to keep herself upright.

"Wait," Ray said, new realization dawning. "Sara, you're _in_ _love_ with Oliver? I thought it was just a night of passion. I didn't realize it was an affair of the _heart_ – how could you do that to Leonard? He'll never recover! And after he offered to raise your child?!"

"What?" Thea asked, her face scrunching up in confusion. "Sara's not in love with my brother, crazy, she's head over heels for Leonard. I meant Ollie and Felicity, duh."

"Ollie and…" Ray trailed off, gulping as he glanced from Sara (who was glaring) to Leonard (who was trying much too hard not to laugh). "But Thea said…and you said…"

"In my defense, I say a lot of things," Leonard smirked.

"And you can't believe any of them," Sara said. "How do you not know this by now, Ray?"

"I'm sorry guys." Ray looked appropriately shamed. "I hope you know it was all Thea's fault, really. I only thought that about Oliver because of the stuff Thea said."

"Heyyy," Thea protested, then squinted over at Ray. "What'd I say?"

"Never mind," he said, pressing a hand to his temple. "But wait, this means you two are really –"

"Having a baby?" Sara filled in. She felt her frustration melt away at the reminder, and she couldn't help but smile. "Yes."

Thea finally registered what they were saying and pointed at each of them in shock. "Before I just thought, well, _hoped_. But you're…"

"Yes!" Sara cried, wondering how many times she could say it – although she still didn't quite believe it herself.

"Oh my god, Sara!" Thea squealed, rocking them side to side as she hugged Sara even harder. "It _is_ the biggest score of your lives!" She was grinning and suddenly crying. She pulled back, jumping up and down as she looked from Sara to Leonard. "I am going to be _such_ a good aunt. And anytime you guys come to Star City, I have first dibs on babysitting – I promise I won't drink," she added.

"Thea, you didn't even know for sure?" Ray asked, rounding on her.

"Of course I didn't know!" she laughed, wiping away a new tear. " _No one_ was sure."

Ray started to smile and then froze, maybe remembering what Len had just done. "Seriously? You're not putting me on again?"

"No, we're not joking, Palmer," Leonard said. He smiled down at Sara as she squeezed his hand.

"You're having a baby!" Ray exclaimed, throwing himself at them and wrapping the three of them in a hug. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked, as Thea fell on them to join the hug, too. Sara realized that Ray had tears in his eyes, Thea was crying, _she_ was crying – and even Leonard's eyes were looking a little watery.

"We literally just found out a few minutes ago," Sara laughed, when Ray and Thea finally released them. "We were hoping to tell everyone together," she added, as Leonard brushed away a tear from her cheek.

"Well, let's go downstairs and tell them," Ray suggested, the grin on his face positively catching. "And I'll re-pot the ficus for you, too. Mick and I have a couple pots in our apartment that'll work, don't worry."

"What?" Sara asked, sharply.

"Um, there was a slight mishap," Ray said, slowly.

"Sorry about your plant," Thea added, looking blearily up at Sara. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Mad?" Sara asked. "Why would…what happened?"

"Oh," Thea said, lightly, eyes darting away from Sara's gaze. "It was an accident. Ray, uh, he pushed me!"

"What she means is that she made a play to confiscate all the liquor in the kitchen, and in her struggle to keep me from stopping her she knocked over the ficus Felicity brought," Ray explained, watching both Sara and Leonard apprehensively as he spoke. "But we managed to save the plant itself, I think."

"That crash…" Sara began, suddenly remembering the noise she and Len had heard from the bathroom. "My plant?!" She gasped, running to the kitchen, the others forgotten. She rounded the island, only to find a, well, _massacre_ was the word that came to mind as she stared in horror at the mess of dirt and broken pottery strewn across the floor. She put her hands over her mouth, body folding down into a crouch as she surveyed the wreckage. But wait, where was the actual plant?

She jumped to her feet, vaguely aware of Thea and Ray rushing into the kitchen, too. She scanned the room before spotting the ficus in the sink and it was sitting in – was that one of her oversized mixing bowls?

"Yeah, see, plants are hardy!" Ray told them. "Probably. Well, you'll know within a few days if it starts dying –" he stopped when Sara looked at him, horrified.

"It doesn't _actually_ represent our baby you know," Leonard murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Leonard, it's in a _mixing bowl_!" she wailed. "What if something happens to our baby? You can't just put it in a bowl and have everything be fine!"

"Who said that's even an option?" Len asked.

"You could probably put a baby in a mixing bowl," Thea suggested. "I mean, it's small enough to fit."

Sara wasn't listening to her and was both angry and embarrassed that she felt like crying again. "If we can't even keep a _plant_ safe, Len, how are we going to take care of this baby?"

"There will be no safer baby on the planet, I promise you that," Leonard said, fiercely. Something in the way he looked at her left her with a rush of calm, and she knew, in that moment, he was right.

"Yeah, besides, this plant will be just fine," Ray promised, again, as he tapped the top of it and it promptly fell over in the sink. He rushed to right it back into the bowl.

Sara's smile faltered. "You really think so?"

"Sara, please," Ray scoffed, "I designed _and_ engineered the A.T.O.M. suit into reality. I think I can save a house plant." He waited until she was on her way out of the room to mutter, "I hope."

"If you can't, you're going to buy another one and give it to her and tell her it was the original," Leonard informed him.

Ray balked at the order. "I really think Thea should be the one to –"

"You thought she was having Oliver's child. Then said as much out loud. _To her_."

"Again, that was mostly Thea's fault. And you had a part, too…" Ray coughed uncomfortably under the harshness of Leonard's gaze. "Yeah, so I can spring for a plant."

Ray edged ahead of him, trailing Sara and Thea to the living room. "I just can't wait to tell everyone about the baby!" he announced, like it was _his_ news to share (and maybe, in his mind, it was). He motioned for them all to follow him out of the apartment.

"If their reaction is any preview, I think the others are going to be pretty excited," Leonard whispered to Sara, guiding her to the door.

"If we're using _them_ as our template, then I wonder how many other guesses there'll be for who the father is?" she asked, smartly.

Len just shrugged. "I'd be more upset but…it's Palmer." His tone indicated it was pretty much par for the course.

"I kind of wish I could tell my dad alone, though," Sara admitted. "I'm starting to think it's going to be crazy when everyone else finds out."

"Crazy? With these people?" Leonard shrugged. "Nah."

They reached the door just as Ray opened it to reveal Quentin Lance on the other side.

"Oh hey," Quentin said, stepping inside and clapping Ray on the arm as he passed. "I just came back for Donna's phone. She wants some pictures of the apartment and she said she left it charging in the…oh there," he went into the living room and unplugged his wife's phone, then his eyes stopped on his daughter. "Sara, honey, there you are!"

"Hi Dad," Sara said, going over to hug him. "Um, could I talk to you? Alone?" She couldn't believe her good luck that she'd gotten this chance. Maybe the universe was looking out for her today…in some ways more than others, at least.

"We're going downstairs," Ray offered. "We'll tell Donna you'll be a few minutes."

"Great," Quentin agreed, pressing some buttons on Donna's phone.

"Are you sure you don't want me to tell him with you?" Len asked, quietly, while he was distracted.

She glanced at her father. "Hold on, Dad, I'll be right back."

She stepped into the hallway with Len, Ray, and Thea, who she had to physically push ahead of her – Thea's temporary lucidity from the baby news seemed to be fading fast. Sara pulled the door closed behind her, thinking over Len's offer. It would be so easy to ask him to stay, but this was something she had to do on her own. She wanted – needed – to talk to her father, and she just knew he wouldn't be as open with her if Leonard was there. And she wanted him to be honest…even if she might not like what he said.

She shook her head at Leonard. "I'll do it alone."

"You're sure?" he persisted, looking between Ray and Thea (who was now leaning heavily on Ray to remain upright).

"I'm sure," Sara said, firmly.

"But what if…"

Her eyes narrowed on him. "Are you trying to get out of going downstairs?"

"Uh…"

She pointed toward the elevator. "Go. And make sure Thea doesn't get lost, alright?"

"After what happened with Ray, she'll be lucky if she doesn't mysteriously vanish between now and when we get back," Len said.

Thea was watching him with growing unease. "Sara, I think he's going to vanish me. If I don't return, tell everyone I love them, okay?"

"You've already told them a few dozen times tonight," Ray reminded her. "I think you've met your quota."

"Leonard's not going to 'vanish' you, whatever the hell that means," Sara promised. "But I expect all three of you to keep your mouths shut until either I get down there or you all make it back up here. Remember, Leonard and I want to tell them together."

"I'm like a vault," Ray swore. "Lock me up and throw away the key! After I tell Mick, no one else will –"

"No, Ray," Sara interrupted.

"But if I just mention –"

" _No_ ," Len reiterated. "You better not so much as _breathe_ a word of this." He glanced at Thea. "It's going to be hard enough keeping her quiet about it."

"Quiet about what?" Thea asked, having lost the conversation some ways back.

"Alright then," Len shrugged, "so vodka does have its uses after all."

"I don't see why I can't tell Mick," Ray kept on, probably just to be contrary, "you're telling your dad right now."

"I think my dad has earned the right to hear it alone, he'll probably need a few minutes to process it."

"Oh I see, you're right. He might not take the news well. He'll probably freak out," Ray agreed, thoughtfully. "What if he storms out? What if he…" he trailed off when he noticed the anger growing on Leonard's face, and the increasing distress on Sara's. "Not that any of that will happen! No way, no how, Quentin Lance is one of the most rational, level-headed, even-tempered men that I've ever met."

"Oh no," Sara moaned, covering her eyes with her hands. _What if Ray's right? What if my father takes this…badly?_ She honestly had no idea what she would do if her dad looked at her with unhappiness. Or far worse…disappointment.

"Sorry," Ray apologized quickly. "Sometimes I talk without thinking."

" _Sometimes_?" Len questioned. "Huh, we've never noticed."

Sara felt an arm around her shoulders and opened her eyes, thinking it was Len, but to her surprise it was Ray.

"I really am sorry," Ray said. "I'm sure he'll be fine. And if he's not, then…" his face clouded, "…you just tell me and I'll set him straight."

Sara shot a glance at Len, who looked as surprised as she felt. She tilted her head up at Ray. "Are you saying you'd threaten my father if he doesn't take it well?"

Ray looked suddenly sheepish. "Well, I just…I don't know how anyone would be unhappy about this. And I hope you know that even if he isn't happy – which _will not_ be the case – we'd still all be here for you."

"You _all_ would?" Len asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know I'm speaking for the others," Ray said, voice getting stronger the more he spoke, "but I'm one hundred percent confident it's true. When it comes to this, we're all in it together, right? I mean I'm going to be Uncle Ray to this kid." He nodded to himself, clearly liking the idea. "Just think of all the things I'm going to teach him. Or her."

Leonard looked mildly concerned. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Palmer. I don't know how much we should let you teach –"

"I love that idea," Sara cried, standing up on her tiptoes to throw her arms around Ray's neck and hug him. "You could be like their…tutor. You could turn our kid into a genius."

"Please, I think that'd be genetic," Len muttered.

Sara ignored him in favor of pressing a kiss to Ray's check. The beaming smile he sent her in return made something inside her melt and why, _why_ was she getting teary yet again? "I really appreciate the offer, Ray," she said, gratefully.

He hugged her tightly, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he let her go. "You're welcome, Sara. When all's said and done, you might say your kid had _two_ dads!" There was a touch of teasing arrogance in his voice.

"Aw, you and Mick?" Thea asked.

Ray just frowned at her, confused. "Me and Leonard! But you know, Mick could probably teach this kid a thing or two about –"

"Let's hold off on the lessons with Mick for a while," Len interrupted – and Sara figured he must know damn well what Mick would consider as necessary life skills.

"Right, neither of us are opposed," Sara added. "We just don't need anyone bringing that up around Donna or my dad."

"Speaking of which, he's inside waiting," Len reminded her. "And we don't want them all to come wandering back before you've had a chance to talk to him."

"Right, go," she said, pointing them toward the elevator, where Thea had wandered off to; she was pressing the same button repeatedly with mounting irritation each time.

Leonard stayed an extra moment, studying her face in that way Sara knew meant he was trying to ensure she was telling the truth. "You're really okay with doing this by yourself?"

"Yes," she promised, sighing when he leaned down to press his mouth briefly against hers. "It'll be fine."

"Of course," he said, as he took a step back. "I have no worries. After all, Palmer will sort things out for us if need be. Picture him going head-to-head with your dad – in fact, I think we should let him think the worst just to see what he'll do."

She gave him a light shove backwards. "You're insane if you think that's a good idea."

"And yet you love me anyways. What does that say about _you_?"

"I guess that I'm as crazy as you," she said, trying not to smile, but it was a losing battle. There had never been a day with him that she hadn't smiled; she had a feeling that would hold true for their future, too.

* * *

"There you are!" her father exclaimed as she let herself back into the apartment, pulling her into another hug. She could tell by the way he lingered how much he'd missed her. "I was starting to think you were sick or something."

"Not sick," she assured. _Not like you think_.

"So everything's fine? You're good?"

"Yeah, I'm good. But there is something I wanted to talk to you about. I'm glad you came back alone, actually." She took a deep breath, trying to calm the shakiness she felt. "Want to come sit with me?"

"Sure," he said warmly, smiling at her. She prayed that what she told him wouldn't wipe that smile off his face.

Sara tilted her head toward one of the loveseats and when he sat down, she paced in front of him, unsure how to begin.

He gave her a moment, smile slowly fading to mild concern. And she definitely knew she'd waited too long when his expression slipped into something close to fear. "Honey, what is it?"

"It's nothing bad," she said, hurriedly, trying both to calm him and buy herself more time. She didn't know how she was supposed to tell him this.

She had no idea how he'd take the news – he could be happy, or disappointed, or resigned, or…angry. There was probably no way he'd be ecstatic, but she didn't think he'd be outraged, either. She suspected (hoped?) it would be closer to a middle ground. And knowing him, it'd probably edge more toward wariness than joy...given who the baby's father was.

Her father only had an outsider's view of her and Leonard – an outsider's view of Leonard entirely, in fact. He'd made it clear through veiled comments (especially early on) that he didn't approve of Leonard, didn't approve of his lifestyle or the things he'd done. Sara couldn't fault her father for it, either – she'd felt pretty much the same when she first met Len, when they'd been wary teammates, even when they'd been careful friends. (She thought she'd known him then…she'd thought wrong.)

She'd quickly made it clear to her father that she wouldn't put up with anything overtly meant to make Len feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. Quentin had eased up immediately, and it had actually helped tremendously that he'd married Donna around the same time, since her step-mother loved Leonard and had no problems making it known.

The only issue was that Sara had never truly known if her father had actually accepted Len or if he simply pretended to in order to appease her and Donna. And honestly, up until this very moment, Sara hadn't much cared how her father and Len really felt toward each other – as long as they were civil on the surface, that was good enough for her. She didn't need anyone's approval for her relationship, and she certainly didn't need them to love each other (if that were even possible), but now that she was going to have a child…the thought of her father still not liking Len (or vice versa)…it made her feel unhappy in a way she'd never known. The very thought of them _pretending_ …actually, it made her sick.

She wanted to raise this baby in an environment where everyone loved each other, not where people simply acted like they did in order to keep the peace.

If Leonard and her father both maintained civility for _her_ sake, maybe they could give each other a real shot for…someone else's sake.

But that was asking for a lot and it wouldn't happen overnight. The best she could hope for right now was that this news wouldn't break whatever cordial peace the two of them had managed to maintain for half a year now. The thought of upsetting that careful balance was almost enough for her to not say anything, but she couldn't put it off. Not when so many people already knew, or at least suspected. (And now that Ray knew – forget it, everyone in the _building_ would probably know by night's end. Maybe the whole block.)

She was grateful her father had given her a few minutes – he didn't look afraid now, but the worry was still there. Sara sat down on the coffee table across from the loveseat so she could face him directly. _One step at a time_ , Caitlin's voice whispered in her mind. _Just tell him._

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Are you okay?" He leaned forward to grasp her hands. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything."

"I'm…" she wanted to look away, more than anything, but she wouldn't let herself. She refused to be afraid of this. "I'm pregnant."

Her father didn't blink. "You're…"

She nodded and he watched her with no reaction. "Please say something," she begged.

He seemed to be choosing his next words carefully. "Are you…not happy about it? Because you look pretty upset."

She let out a breath. "No, I'm happy. I'm beyond happy, to tell you the truth. I'm just worried about what you might…because if there's any way that you think this is anything other than a good thing, then I don't know what I'm going to do." Her words were running together by the end, and her eyes ached with the pressure of tears she was holding back.

"Oh, Sara," he said, quietly, holding out his arms for her and she threw herself at him, hugging him with everything she had in her. He held on just as tight.

"I was afraid you wouldn't be happy for me," she said, into his shoulder, feeling the tears on her face. (She felt like she'd done more crying in the last few hours than she had in the past year – it had to be the hormones – she wouldn't accept any other reason.)

"How could you think that I'd be anything less than thrilled for you?" he asked, into her hair. "My wonderful, loving daughter, being a mother herself." He pushed her back, wiping the tears away from her eyes with his thumb as a grin spread across his face. "I could think of no luckier child than to have you for a mother."

"Stop," she sniffed. "You're going to make me cry."

"You're already crying," he pointed out, laughing.

She laughed too, and brushed at her eyes with her sleeve. "You really mean all that?"

"I mean all that and more."

She felt a weight lift, his reaction much better than anything she could have hoped for – then a sudden, worrying thought struck her. "You do know Leonard is the father, right?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, honey," he joked, "but I _am_ a detective."

"And you still think…" she glanced down, playing with a loose thread at the hem of her sleeve, "that this child would be lucky?"

"I do," he said, without hesitation. "Honey…do you think I hate Leonard or something?"

"I know you're not the best of friends. You two got off to a rocky start and I know you disapprove of a lot of things he's done." Well… "That he _still_ does, actually. And I can't have you two disliking each other. Not now, not when I'm...I just _can't_."

"Baby, I don't hate him. In fact, it sort of pains me to say it, but I don't even dislike him anymore." He sighed, heavily. "I admit in the beginning I had my doubts, but it didn't take me long to see that, in my opinion, you've definitely picked the right person for _you_."

"I know I have," she swore.

He smiled a little. "Do you know what made me change my mind about him?"

She shook her head wordlessly.

"It's the way he feels about you. He's never even remotely tried to hide it. I see it when he looks at you, when he talks about you, when he's anywhere _near_ you. I went through my whole life thinking no one would ever love my daughters as much as I do and – well, I'm still of a mind that no one will ever love you the way I do, but this guy, I'm pretty sure he comes as close as possible."

Sara was too overwhelmed to know what to say.

"I don't worry about you anymore, you know?" her father went on. "I used to be afraid all the time, about you being out there on your own, the kinds of trouble you and your team were getting into. I know you can take care of yourself, but Leonard, he'd kill to keep you safe. I'm sure he already has and I'm sure that he'd do it again. And that," he concluded, "that's why I can sleep at night."

"That's kind of morbid," she admonished.

"But is it untrue?" he countered.

"No," she said softly, "it's not. And I've done the same for him. Our whole team has, it's just…part of the cost."

"It's dangerous out there," he agreed. "You don't have to tell me that… Are you going to retire now that you have another person to think about?"

"I don't know, I hadn't thought about it. We'll have to take some time off, at least."

"You could come visit us – wait a minute, is this why Donna was going on about wanting to move here? Why she was so eager to see Mick and Ray's apartment?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she somehow guessed," Sara said, smile creeping back onto her face.

After a moment of silence, her father asked, "How did Leonard react?"

"He's so happy, Dad. As happy as I am, I think." Her next words came out in a rush, "But I'm also terrified."

"Of what?" Off her look, he guessed, "of being a parent?"

"I feel like I should take a class or something. I don't even know where to begin." _If people doubt that I can even keep a plant alive…_

"Oh, honey, no one knows. I think most people just do the best they can."

"What if my best isn't enough?"

"You'll figure it out," he promised. "You know when your mother and I had Laurel, we were scared, too. Out of our minds, in fact. But we soldiered through and we figured a few things out by the time you came along – we were still nowhere near perfect. The truth is, no one is. But look how well you and your sister turned out."

Sara shut her eyes, happy childhood memories flitting past in her mind. How happy they'd been. How loved she'd always felt. "It's hard to picture you and mom not knowing how to be parents."

"Well, believe it. We made everything up as we went along." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Despite all that, we survived. And you and your sister were – _are_ – the best things that ever happened to us. You two made everything worth it. I know I've had my issues, and I wasn't perfect, but –"

"You were perfect to _me_ ," Sara interrupted, looking up at him. And her words were as unwavering as they were passionate. "Nothing will ever change that."

He swallowed and paused for a moment before saying, "I'm so happy that I get to be a grandfather. And that you get to be a mother; you'll finally know the kind of love I have for you."

"I love you, too, Dad," she said, kissing his cheek.

"I know you do, baby, but it's different, you'll see. And then you'll feel bad for all the grief you put me through during your rebellious teenage years."

"Don't count on it," she laughed. "I was doing my best to keep you on your toes – keep you young."

"Keep me on the verge of a panic attack, is more like it." He glanced down at her. "Remember this in 15 years when you're complaining to me that your kid's sneaking out at night."

"Stop," she chided, but she was still laughing. "Let me get through pregnancy first. And infancy. I have a ways to go before I'm worrying about teenage years."

"It'll go by like –" he snapped his fingers. "So make sure you appreciate every moment, the good and the bad."

"I'll ship them off to Grandma and Grandpa for the bad," she teased. "I'm sure you could keep them in line."

"No way, I'm going to spoil this kid like no tomorrow. No rules at Grandpa's house. Candy for dinner and staying up until midnight is fine with me."

Sara just shook her head, still smiling. They sat in silence for a few minutes, and she stared at the wall across from them, but in her mind, she was seeing something else entirely. Future visits with her family and friends, her child growing up, and…the one person who would never get to see it.

"Only one thing would make this better than it is," she whispered.

"I know," he replied, equally as quiet, and Sara blinked back yet more tears (who knew there were any left in her, at this point). She curled up next to her father, resting her head on his shoulder.

It was something they both already knew, something they both felt, every day. But she wanted to say the words out loud (in fact, she wanted to scream them to the universe a lot of the time).

This time it wasn't a scream, but the anguish in her words said more than enough: "I wish Laurel were here."

"Me too, baby," Quentin said, and she pretended not to hear the catch in his voice as he kissed the top of her head. "Me too."

"She would have loved being an aunt," Sara sighed.

She could feel her father nodding against the top of her head. "She would have been great at it. But," he added, "there area lot of people downstairs who love you. They're going to be here for you just like Laurel would've been. That Caitlin, for one – she's a good egg."

Sara felt herself smile a little at the thought of all her friends. Caitlin, Felicity, Donna, Lisa, Mick – even Cisco and Wells, they were all going to flip when they heard the news. And that wasn't even counting all the people who weren't there – Kendra, Jax, Stein, Barry. Hell, even Rip would probably muster up enough energy to be happy for them. And now that her dad knew, she suddenly couldn't wait to tell them.

"I'll text Len and get him to wrangle the crew upstairs," she said, pulling out her phone.

" _Dad is happy. Me, too. Bring everyone back so we can tell them already!"_ she typed, leaning back into her father's embrace as she waited for Leonard to see the message.

A few moments later, she felt her phone buzz. She smiled as she opened the message, only to frown as she read his reply: " _Not sure that's going to be possible."_

Sara bit back a sigh and resisted the urge to smash her phone against the coffee table. She should have known better than to jinx things.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to text him back: " _What now?"_


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Thanks everyone for reading, we appreciate your feedback and hope you continue to enjoy this as we get closer to the end!

* * *

 _Next time_ , Leonard thought, darkly, _Sara's going to be the one babysitting Thea and_ I'm _going to be the one to break the news to Quentin_.

They stepped out of the elevator on the third floor and Thea turned right instead of left, toward the staircase at the far end of the hall.

"Wrong way," Ray called to her. "That'll bring you back upstairs and then to the roof."

Instead of deterring her, it seemed only to pique her interest.

"What's on the roof?" she asked, moving further away, and Leonard had a split-second idea of letting her go – but no, even if she _was_ a Queen, he couldn't just abandon her to her own devices. (Although it would be entertaining – since when had he grown a conscience?)

"There's nothing on the roof," he said, catching up to her in three strides and turning her back in the direction of Ray and Mick's apartment.

"You sure you don't want to bring me up there and throw me off it?" Thea asked, as they joined Ray where he was flipping through his keys (and mumbling something about how this _would_ be the one time Mick bothered locking the door behind him). "I _did_ kind of mess things up with Ray and the whole Oliver thing…"

Leonard couldn't believe it – she was choosing _now_ , of all times,to be semi-lucid? It figured. He supposed he'd have to forgive her since, again, she was a Queen – they had spectacularly bad timing. (Almost as bad as Palmer, in fact, but not quite.)

"It wasn't your fault, it was Palmer's inability to connect the dots," he told her, as Ray finally got the door open and they followed him inside. "Remember that if you're ever in a dicey situation with him again – if anything can go wrong, Palmer will be there to ensure that it does."

"I'm standing right here," Ray said, exasperated.

"I'm giving this girl valuable advice," Len insisted. "Keep your distance from him, Thea."

"Hey, you never know," she said, grinning up at Ray. "I could be Thea Palmer one day."

Ray's expression was such a perfect mixture of shock and dismay that Leonard _had_ to run with it. "You know, I'd be in a hurry to ditch the Queen name, too, even if I had to marry Palmer to do it. I take back what I said – you two get to know each other better!"

"Wait," Ray begged him, "you can't leave me with – ah!" Thea had thrown herself at Ray and they'd both gone toppling over onto the nearest couch. _Good luck, Palmer_.

Len pretended not to hear Ray's ongoing cries for help, venturing further into the apartment. He nearly faltered when he heard voices in the kitchen, but forced himself to continue on. _The things I do for you, Sara Lance._

"Leonard!" Donna exclaimed, the moment he stepped into the room. "How is…everything?" She was at the open, built-in pantry, studying its interior along with Cisco. Lisa and Felicity were sitting at the center island and Caitlin and Wells were leaning against the counter by the sink. Mick was…nowhere to be found. Well, that last part didn't surprise him.

"Everything's fine," he hedged, staring her down. He made sure to direct blank stares at Caitlin, Lisa, and Felicity as well, for good measure. His poker face topped the list of things he excelled at, which was fortunate since he'd promised Sara he wouldn't give their news away. (And while he'd gone up against some of the best in his time, he had a feeling these people were going to give him a run for his money.)

The one he most had to worry about ruining the surprise was Ray, and thankfully he was distracted with –

"Hey guys!" Ray said brightly, strolling into the kitchen.

 _How did he escape Thea?_

Ray's smile vanished as he looked at Leonard. "Thea's lying down on the couch," he assured him, misinterpreting Leonard's concern. "She's not feeling that great..."

"Oh, poor dear, I'll bring her some water," Donna said, filling a glass at the sink and going to tend to Thea.

"How's it going?" Ray asked everyone.

Caitlin answered first, giving Len a pointed look. "We were just about to ask you – and Leonard – that very question."

"Well, there's definitely nothing new with us!" Ray said, overly upbeat. Len silently prayed for him to stop talking – sadly, it had zero effect. "Nope. Nothing. Nada," Ray continued, suspiciously avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Nothing, hmm?" Felicity asked, stepping into Ray's personal space. She'd quickly identified the weakest link in this equation. "So where's Sara?"

Leonard opened his mouth to intervene, but unfortunately, Ray beat him to it.

"She's just…getting caught up with Quentin," Ray explained, avoiding Felicity's stare and taking a not-so-subtle step away from her.

"So she's out of the bathroom?" Caitlin gasped, eyes widening. Leonard sent her a sharp look. _Really, Snow, keep it together._

"Why wouldn't she be out of the bathroom?" Ray faked a laugh, rubbing the back of his head.

"Why don't _you_ tell _us_ ," Felicity prodded, moving closer to him.

"Why is Felicity acting so strange? Are we sure she's not pregnant?" Cisco whispered to Lisa, although Leonard wasn't sure it could be classified as a whisper when the whole room could hear him.

"Think that one through Cisco – either way, would you want to be getting on her bad side right now?" Lisa replied, smartly.

"I like this girl, Ramon, you should bring her around more often," Wells added with a smirk.

Felicity ignored them in favor of staring Ray down, and Leonard suppressed a groan as he watched her start putting the puzzle together – their only saving grace was that Donna wasn't in the room to arrange the pieces even faster. _It must be genetic._

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ray was insisting to Felicity, fake smile still plastered on his face.

"You sure about that, Ray?" Felicity asked. "Because you seem a little…shifty."

"Shifty? Me? Uh…no, that's just my nature. Raymond Palmer, international man of mystery, that's what I like to say." He pulled at his collar. "I'm an enigma. It's what drives my dates crazy."

"When was the last time you went on a date?" Leonard challenged, seizing the chance to steer the conversation away from Sara.

"I…there was…I could go on plenty of dates," Ray snapped. "If I wanted to."

"Are you two trying to change the subject?" Felicity questioned. "Why would you do that?"

"I don't know what subject you mean, Felicity," Ray said. "Uh, is anyone else hot? Should I go turn up the A/C?"

"It's 42 degrees out," Wells said, matter-of-factly.

"What are you, the temperature police?" Ray snapped. "I can't put on A/C in the fall? Sometimes I like to put the heat on in summer, too! You have a problem with that?"

"I don't care _what_ you do," Wells told him. "I'm just pointing out that it makes no sense."

"I like to keep people guessing," Ray argued, refusing to let the subject drop. "They're like, 'what crazy thing is Ray going to do next?'" He waved his hands around, apparently to demonstrate said craziness. (As if he _ever_ needed to demonstrate.)

"Right, you're an enigma," Leonard said. "We get it."

Felicity pressed a finger to Ray's chest as he looked down at her in fear. "I'll get you to crack, Palmer. You can be sure of that."

Ray shot his gaze to Leonard who shook his head, warning him to keep his mouth shut.

"I thought Mick was going to give you all a tour?" Ray asked, desperate to take the attention off himself.

"He claimed he was going to," Felicity sounded particularly unenthusiastic at the prospect. "Then he disappeared."

"Typical," Ray sighed. "Since he can't be bothered, I'll do it."

"What's there to take a tour of?" Caitlin asked, cautiously. "It's the same style as Sara and Len's apartment. Just smaller."

"I get to point out all my favorite things though," Ray said, regaining some of his effortless cheer. "Did you all notice the crown molding, for example? It adds an elegant touch."

"I don't know if 'elegant' is the word you're looking for," Lisa murmured.

"I like it!" Cisco said, much more enthused. "Is it original?"

It took Leonard a moment to realize that question was directed at him. "How should I know?"

"You own the building," Felicity reminded him.

"Right, but how would I know that much about it?" Len protested. "Tell you what, if you want to believe it's original, then fine, it's original."

"You're not exactly selling me on it," Cisco warned him.

"Oh no," Len replied in monotone. "What a shame."

"Though I do _love_ the high ceilings," Cisco continued, "and the overall spacious feel."

"It's certainly _much_ more than I expected from the exterior," Donna chimed in as she reentered the kitchen. At their looks, she shrugged defensively. "What, I'm just saying!"

Ray nodded along with her, like he agreed. "And of course, the ceilings on the top floor are a little higher, still. Alas, Mick and I were relegated to the lowly third floor. We weren't quite good enough to merit an apartment upstairs."

"For the dozenth time," Leonard tried not to grit his teeth, "this was the only one open."

"No, we get how it is," Ray said, tapping his fingers on the counter. "The _lower classes_ aren't allowed on the same floor as you."

"How are you lower class?" Felicity asked, incredulous. "You're a billionaire."

"800 millionaire," Len muttered, at the same time as Ray did.

"My point stands," Felicity said.

"800 million?" Donna fanned herself, staring at her daughter. "My, I didn't realize you were _that_ rich."

"It's the principle of the thing!" Ray insisted, obviously having held in some anger Len hadn't known about. "We just weren't _worthy_ of a top floor apartment."

"What do you want, Palmer?" Leonard made an effort at remaining calm. "You want me to evict someone so you can live on the top floor? Is that it?"

"Well…"

"That wasn't a serious suggestion!"

"You see what I have to deal with?" Ray asked Donna. "You _see_?"

"Leonard, I think you could stand to be a little nicer to your…incredibly rich friend," Donna chided.

"Yeah, Leonard," Cisco said, somewhat mockingly.

Mick wandered in, surveying the gathered group of them with disappointment. "You're all still here?"

"I'm giving them a tour since you obviously can't," Ray scolded.

"It's not that I can't," Mick said. "It's that I didn't want to. I went to watch the game in my room for a few minutes – on my phone, since the cable's out," he gave Leonard a pointed look, as if it were _his_ fault – "I figured you'd all be gone by now." He looked around the room at them. "No offense."

"Why would we be offended that you wanted us gone?" Cisco asked, looking a little hurt.

Ray ignored them, gesturing around the kitchen. "We may as well start in here. The kitchen is where the magic happens, if you will."

"I don't think that phrase means what you think it means," Leonard said.

"Let Palmer have this," Mick told him. "God knows he doesn't have magic going on in any _other_ room in this apartment."

"You know very well that's not true," Ray told Mick, sternly.

"He…does?" Caitlin asked, carefully.

"Yeah, you guys haven't seen my arts and crafts closet yet!" Ray exclaimed. "If you don't believe me, check out my Instagram."

Leonard waited for the punchline…but apparently there wasn't one.

"He did make some nice hand-woven baskets for the living room," Mick reluctantly allowed.

Ray held his hand out, as if to say, _See?_

"Let's move this along so everyone can get out," Mick added, motioning for Ray to get on with it.

Ray took a step back and pointed to his right. "Here's my broken dishwasher," he said, unceremoniously, pulling it open and removing a dish. "Look at it in the light. There's definitely a film."

Donna took the dish and held it up. "Oh, you're right. It should be much cleaner. Are you going to be replacing the appliances in these apartments before we move in, Leonard?"

"No," he said, "I'm not." _Wait a minute._ "Before you _what_?"

She breezed right by his question. "No problem. I'm sure Quentin could do it. Even though it's getting harder and harder for him to do work around the house…he's just so tired when he gets home from work, you know?" She looked around for support, and Leonard wanted to scream when people started nodding at her in sympathy.

"You'd really let Sara's dad replace everything himself?" Cisco asked, disapprovingly.

Were they serious? "They're not moving here!" Leonard exclaimed, grabbing the dish out of Donna's hands and putting it back in the dishwasher.

"Never say never," Donna told him, squeezing his arm.

"Exactly," Caitlin told Donna, and Len just _knew_ she was saying it to mess with him. "These apartments are wonderful, and wouldn't it be incredibly convenient to have all of your family close by?"

"Family is so important," Wells agreed, glancing at Len, and then smiling at Caitlin. "Some might say, _the_ most important thing."

Caitlin sent him a brilliant smile in return. "I know Leonard would agree with you."

All Leonard could do was stare at them – they were so asking for it. The first chance he got…

"Right, let's just have everyone move into this building," Felicity said, "you know, except me. Since I live in Star City and have no plans to move. Not that my mother cares about leaving me."

"You could come visit and stay in our guest room," Donna told her. "Oh, and bring Oliver!"

Leonard inwardly groaned – he'd be hard-pressed to think of anything worse than Oliver Queen visiting for the weekend…though he probably shouldn't think those thoughts around these people because they'd undoubtedly top it with _something_.

Ray had moved on with his tour, whipping open a cabinet near the entry to the hall. "And here's my selection of pots and vases, most are from Ikea." He pulled out a blue and white striped pot, tossing it to Leonard without warning. "I think that's the right size."

"For what?" Donna asked.

"Uh, there was a mishap with the ficus Felicity brought…and gravity," Ray said, as Leonard set the pot on the center island. "It's not worth mentioning."

"You broke my plant?" Felicity asked, dangerously.

"No," Ray said quickly, "that was all Thea. And we can't blame her for anything since she's pretty much inebriated. Let's get on with the tour!"

He motioned for them to follow him out of the room and Leonard made sure to stick close to Ray so that no one could corner him alone and try to force the truth out of him. He hadn't missed the speculative glances from any of the women – he knew how they worked and he wasn't going to cave. And neither would Ray, if he had anything to say about it.

"This is the living room," Ray said, stating the obvious as they all pretended to be fascinated. "That's Thea passed out on the couch."

In response, she gave a half-hearted wave, confirming she was alive, but didn't open her eyes.

"Palmer did all the decorating himself," Mick added, somewhat proudly, as Ray grinned.

"Why don't you two just move in together?" Len asked, as they both looked at him in confusion. "Never mind."

"Is this one of your baskets?" Caitlin asked, picking one up from a side table and spinning it around. "I love it!"

"It is," Ray confirmed. "It's a very soothing hobby. Which I need for…" he glanced between Leonard and Mick "…various reasons."

Wells took it from her to study. "It's actually quite well-crafted," he said, as Ray went over to them and literally started explaining _the intricacies of basket-weaving_. Somehow, through some fluke of the universe Leonard would never understand, Wells and Caitlin weren't instantly put to sleep.

Donna had circled the room and come to a stop next to Mick, resting her arms on the back of a chair. "Just to reiterate, the place that's opening up is going to be exactly like this one, right?" she asked.

"Right," Mick told her.

"You might have to fight me over it, Donna," Cisco kidded, (although Leonard didn't miss the strangely competitive glare in his eyes) and they both went back to fawning over the apartment.

"It's really not that great," Len tried. Not for the first time, he regretted buying the entire building. But it had made good financial sense and it was an easy way of setting up the appearance of being a respectable, tax-paying citizen – which meant, basically, that people from his past, and from local law enforcement (who had a long memory), were inclined to leave him alone.

And that was all he'd wanted, really, when he moved in with Sara – just a quiet place to live while they were taking a break from the insanity that was the rest of their life. Never in his wildest dreams had he envisioned other people he knew moving in. Ray and Mick had been an exception, and now he was going to have to fend off both Donna _and_ Cisco?

"Don't be modest," Donna told him, admiring the fireplace. "These apartments are fantastic! And being near you…two…would make it worth it."

Leonard was shocked that she'd actually managed to check herself despite her obvious belief that Sara was pregnant. He could only guess how long her restraint would last, though. He looked up to the ceiling, silently willing Sara to come downstairs – and fast.

"It's much nicer than my current place," Caitlin sighed, looking around wistfully. "My heat keeps going out and the landlord always says he'll fix it and then he never does…"

Donna was obviously surprised as she looked between Caitlin and Wells. "You mean you two don't live together?"

Cisco burst out laughing. "Why would they – ow!" he yelped, when Felicity kicked him in the shin. She pulled him down to whisper in his ear and he stared at his two colleagues as a smile slowly grew on his face.

"We're taking things slow?" Wells said, or rather asked, glancing at Caitlin who just shrugged, clearly unsure what to do. "Though if I knew you lived in an apartment without heat –"

"Sometimes," she clarified. "I can usually get it working…adequately enough."

Wells obviously wasn't too happy with that answer, but he didn't have a chance to say anything since Cisco sauntered over, stepping between them and taking each of their arms. "I can't believe I'm the last to know these things. You sure kept your relationship a secret at work. But I'm happy for you two, truly! I couldn't think of anyone that either of you deserves more." He stepped back, pushing their arms together until they linked them. "Why _don't_ you move in together? It's not like you're getting any younger! Some of us more than others, right Harry?" he asked with a smirk, although the look in the other man's gaze made even Cisco pause a moment.

"You know I can fire you, right?" Wells asked.

Caitlin shook her head. "Cisco, he's not going to –" she turned to Wells, "– you're not going to fire him."

"I might," Wells insisted.

"No," she countered, "you won't."

They stared at each other for a few moments until Wells relented. "Fine," he said, tapping Caitlin's temple with his finger. "I hope you realize how much I suffer for you, Caitlin Snow."

"Are you insinuating that working with me is _suffering_?" Cisco asked, loudly.

"I'm not insinuating anything," Wells told him. "I'm stating facts."

Caitlin ignored their spat, not looking away from her boss. "And I appreciate all that you do," she informed him, before clarifying, "for me. And everyone else."

Wells switched his gaze back to her, smile changing from the sarcastic one he sent Cisco to something much lighter and genuine. Cisco glanced between his two co-workers suspiciously. It didn't take more than a couple seconds for his eyes to light up as he exclaimed, "Wait a minute! Do you two _actually like_ –"

Lisa slapped a hand over his mouth. "Can I talk to you? In the other room, far away from people?" She dragged him out without waiting for a response.

"Wouldn't this be a _great_ place to raise children?" Ray declared, unable to keep the grin from his face as he looked at Leonard. _Great, Palmer. Why don't you just hire a skywriter while you're at it?_

"Children, you say?" Felicity asked, suspiciously.

Thankfully, Mick distracted them. "You want kids now?" he asked Ray. "Where would we put them?"

"We could move to a bigger apartment," Ray said, looking over at Leonard. "Like on the fourth floor."

"I think you two would make wonderful parents," Donna said, smiling at them both.

"Thanks?" Mick asked.

"I know we would," Ray said.

"Would you adopt or use a surrogate?" Donna asked, and Leonard turned on his heel to follow Cisco and Lisa out of the room – he just couldn't stay there any longer.

"So Caitlin and Harry are pretending to be together but they both like each other?" he overheard Cisco asking Lisa as he entered the kitchen. "I'm confused already."

"You and me both," Len agreed.

"I'm not exactly sure about their real feelings," Lisa said, "but since Donna thinks they're a couple now, you can't call them out on pretending."

"Right, none of us need to deal with that," Len muttered.

"Maybe they're in love," Lisa speculated, "and don't know how to express it."

"Why not just say it?" Cisco asked. "It's not that hard."

"It took you like six months to tell me," Lisa reminded him.

"Yeah, but I had to be sure we were on the same page," Cisco argued, glancing at Len. "You remember what that's like, right man? I mean, didn't you go through the same thing with Sara? Wondering if she felt the same?"

Leonard thought back, way back, to before they'd been together… He remembered that time, but he couldn't recall worrying about how Sara felt. Or worrying about how _he_ felt about her, for that matter. It had simply existed, like a fundamental truth between the two of them that they hadn't doubted. Soon after they'd become friends, that love had just…been there. And he'd never cared if anyone else saw it.

"I don't remember any doubt," Len told them. "Even telling each other, it was more like acknowledging something we both knew instead of 'confessing our feelings' or anything like that."

"Aren't you two just perfect?" Cisco grumbled.

"That's so sweet," Lisa whispered, grasping one of Leonard's hands with both of hers.

"You're making me look bad here," Cisco complained to him.

"Sorry, it's the truth," Leonard said. "I'm not one to believe in fate or…destiny. But it feels like we were meant to be together."

Lisa was watching him with eyes that were too wide, and her expression was too knowing, and she was about to speak –

"Could you give us a minute?" Len asked Cisco, who surprisingly (for once in his life) nodded and left without protest.

"She's pregnant, isn't she?" Lisa asked, and he could tell she was about to cry, and he swore he'd about had his fill of emotions today.

"You can't tell anyone," he said, by way of an answer, causing Lisa to gasp and throw her arms around him. He wanted to chastise her, remind her that they didn't do this kind of thing, but he was too busy trying to hold back his own emotions. Aside from a few minutes with Sara, he hadn't had time to process it, to let the reality of it sink in, and…

"I'm so happy for you," Lisa whispered into his shirt, and he put his arms around her, trying to silently convey how much her support meant to him. She was the only blood family he had (at least…for a few more months) and once upon a time he'd taken that for granted; he wasn't going to anymore.

"I'm happy, too," he told her, "and…I'm scared." He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud – maybe it slipped out because it was easier to speak when she wasn't looking at him.

She leaned back, looking up at him. " _You_? You're not scared of anything."

He flashed back to his conversation with Sara in the bathroom, telling her his greatest fear – a life without her. And in an instant that fear had changed to a life without her _and_ their child. He had to be strong for both of them, but… "Lis, I have no idea what I'm doing."

When had his sister started crying? "You were the closest thing to a real father I ever had," she managed to say, clutching his shirt even tighter. "And we had our differences, I know that, but you were always there for me. You made sure I never went hungry, and you protected me when I needed it, and you were the role model I looked up to – that I aspired to be."

He swallowed around the ache at the back of his throat. "Sorry about that last one."

She laughed through her tears. "Okay, yeah, you weren't perfect. I know you're going to say you could be better, right? So what's it going to take for me to convince you that you _already are_?"

All he could do was look at her.

"The man you are now versus the man you were then? There's no comparison. Don't get me wrong, I loved you then as much as I do now, but…today you're worthy of being the man people admire. Worthy of having the amazing friends that you do. Worthy of being someone a child – _your_ child – can look up to and think 'I want to be like him someday'."

"You're biased," he tried to argue. "Of course you'd say –"

"No," she snapped, pulling at his shirt a little too viciously. "You don't get to do that. Because I wouldn't have traded you for anything. Do you hear me? _Not anything_."

Leonard thought about protesting, but her certainty was so unwavering that he knew it was no use. He gave her a slight nod, and she smiled before resting her head on his shoulder.

"For what it's worth," he began, slowly, "I've always felt lucky to be your brother. Never thought I'd have so much luck." He paused. "To have you. And Sara. And now this…" He trailed off, still hardly able to believe that it was happening, that Sara was having a baby – _his_ baby – he'd never thought he could have this kind of life.

"Ever consider that you deserve it?" Lisa asked, hugging him a little tighter.

He was too overwhelmed to speak, Lisa's words bringing to mind what he'd told Sara: _You want to talk about undeserving?_ _Me finding you is proof the universe can forgive damn near anyone_.

Maybe, after all he'd done, he'd _never_ be deserving. Maybe he'd been given more than he should have – but damned if he was going to let go of it now. Ever.

And just because he hadn't deserved it before didn't mean that the same was true now, or in the future. If Lisa thought he was deserving, and Sara, and the others…then maybe he could work on believing it himself.

He stood with Lisa for another moment until they heard voices getting closer, causing them to step back from each other.

"You can't tell anyone," Len ordered. "Not even Cisco."

"Please," she laughed, rubbing at her eyes. "I'd never risk it. He can't keep a secret to save his life."

"Neither can most of the people in this apartment," Leonard added.

They exchanged one last smile before Ray rounded the corner, leading the others along behind him. "Annnnd we're back to the kitchen. Anyone have any questions?"

Len noticed that Donna was looking between him and Lisa with too much interest. He tried desperately to think of a way to distract her, settling on an idea when he saw Caitlin and Wells a few steps behind the others. "Donna, how are you at planning weddings?"

"You and Sara want to get married?!" she exclaimed.

 _Well, that backfired spectacularly_.

"No, not me," he corrected, stepping around her to push Caitlin and Wells forward. "These two!"

"We're engaged?" Caitlin asked.

"You're engaged!" Leonard agreed.

"Oh, how exciting!" Donna cried, turning to the two of them. "But wait, I thought you were 'taking things slow'?"

"Yeah, we're taking things slow...ly to the altar." Caitlin grinned, as if that had been some fantastic spin on her part.

When Harrison Wells only looked amused, Leonard leaned toward Caitlin and said in a stage whisper, "He finds your lame jokes entertaining, Snow. Better not let go of him."

"We can all hear you," Wells said, rolling his eyes.

"Doesn't make what I said untrue," Leonard insisted, doubling down.

Donna clearly wasn't satisfied with any of the non-answers she was getting. "I still don't understand why you two didn't tell me, especially when I asked you before if you were getting married!"

"We just found out –" Wells began, abruptly cutting himself off when Caitlin gripped his hand. "Uh, just _decided_ , I mean."

"And you didn't get her a ring?" Donna scolded, looking pointedly at Caitlin's left ring finger.

"She wants to pick it out herself," Wells said, at the same moment Caitlin announced she was getting it resized.

Leonard enjoyed watching them flail under Donna's sudden interrogation. _That's what you two get for your part in trying to convince her to move into the building_.

"I see what's going on here," Donna said, as everyone momentarily froze. "You're overwhelmed at trying to plan things, aren't you? Don't worry, though – I'm more than happy to help! Do you want to get married here? Or have a destination wedding?"

"I'd love to get married in the Caribbean," Caitlin declared, merrily. "My motto is: the more expensive, the better."

"Is it now?" Wells asked, archly

She smirked at him. "The more money you spend, the more I'll know you love me."

"Oh, I can definitely work with that," Donna said excitedly, pulling out her phone. "An unlimited budget, you say? Let me do a quick search…"

"I don't remember the word 'unlimited'," Wells argued, but Donna was already searching for wedding locations on her phone.

"I could use a tropical getaway," Cisco said. "And you better be paying for all our accommodations, Harry. As a member of the wedding party, I will, of course, be requiring my own suite."

"No one said you're even invited, Ramon. Never mind _in_ it."

"Caitlin," Cisco whined, "tell him I'm in it."

She was looking at resorts on Donna's phone. "Fine, you can be in it."

"Caitlin!" her 'fiance' exclaimed.

"This package starts reasonably at $75,000," Donna said. "But that's the base price for the ceremony itself, it'll change based on how many guests you invite."

" _Reasonably_?" Felicity choked out, echoing Leonard's thoughts – since when had he become friends with people who thought $75,000 as a base price for a wedding was anywhere near "reasonable"?

"It's reasonable for people of means," Donna chided her daughter. "You could also be having such a wedding if you'd made –" her eyes flicked to Ray, "– different choices."

Cisco joined them, looking at the website on Donna's phone. "It includes snorkeling packages? Jet skiing? Deep sea diving? Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about."

"I want something that includes scenic hiking trails," Caitlin requested, as Wells forcibly pulled her toward the entryway of the kitchen, conveniently near where Leonard was standing.

"What are you doing?" Wells hissed.

"What?" Caitlin asked, innocently. "It's _my_ fake wedding. If I want to picture getting married on an imaginary beach during an imaginary sunset, then so be it."

He paused for a moment. "That's really what you'd want? I mean, if you got married again?"

She hesitated. "Well, the idea always seemed too far away for me to think about in depth, but…I always imagined that if I wanted to, it wouldn't matter where I did it. I could get married in this apartment and it'd be fine with me."

Wells looked around skeptically. " _This_ apartment?"

"Yes, this apartment," she smiled a little. "If I got married again, it wouldn't be about where it was or how much it cost." She took a step closer to him. "It would be about _who_ I was marrying."

"You know, I've always felt the same way?" He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts. "So let me ask, any potential candidates in your life at the moment?"

"I might have narrowed it down," she said, solemnly. "Besides, you have to admit it's fun to imagine it, right?"

" _Fun_? A wedding where _all_ of these people would be in attendance – including Ramon – and you still think it's 'fun to imagine it'?"

"Like you wouldn't enjoy it, too," she scoffed. "You could use a vacation. Admit it."

He crossed his arms. "I'll admit nothing."

"How long would you be paying for guests to stay, Harry?" Cisco called. "Two weeks? Three?"

"Why don't I just buy you an island, Ramon?"

"Hey…good idea!" He turned back to Donna and ordered her to look up islands for sale.

"That wasn't an offer –" Wells sighed, seeing it was a lost cause. "Forget it."

"Now you two know my pain," Leonard told them, smugly. "What were you thinking, trying to convince everyone I know to move into this building? Seriously."

"We were doing you a favor," Caitlin insisted. "What better gift for you than to have all of us around, all the time. Especially if…"

"I know nothing," Leonard insisted, cutting her off before she could get too far. "And wait, don't tell me _you_ want to move in, too."

"Maybe I do," she said. "Would I really be so bad as a neighbor? I mean, in comparison to your other options?"

The three of them looked over at Cisco and Donna, who were fully into wedding planning now, and Ray ( _of course_ ) had eagerly joined. Even Lisa and Mick were occasionally chiming in.

"I changed my mind," Leonard muttered. "The next apartment that opens up, you have first dibs, Snow."

"It'll be so much easier for me to help you plan this wedding if I'm living in Central City, Caitlin," Donna smiled, looking up from her phone. "Leonard, I know I haven't had a chance to really talk about this with Quentin, but I'd like to see a lease agreement for your open apartment when you get a chance."

"Wait a minute," Cisco said, saving Leonard from having to turn Donna down. "Are you seriously considering moving to Central City?"

"Well, yes," Donna said, carefully. She looked at Leonard, and her expression turned soft. "My family has been…growing…ever since I married Quentin. It would be nice to be closer to…everyone." She was barely containing her smile.

"Still here," Felicity muttered. "In case anyone was wondering. Still living in Star City."

"Leonard," Cisco said, voice steely, "I am prepared to sign a lease. _Tonight._ "

Donna gasped. "You were serious about moving here, too?"

"Are you kidding?" Cisco frowned. "Have you _seen_ the crown molding? The high ceilings?! Of course I'm serious!"

"I know, right?" Ray agreed. "They're so spacious." He held his hands above his head in demonstration of how he couldn't reach the ceiling even if he tried.

Donna's expression turned icy as she regarded Cisco. "Have you even consulted with your girlfriend about this? Maybe she doesn't want to live in the same building as her brother," Donna pointed out.

"You just said you haven't even talked to Quentin!" Cisco retorted, before turning swiftly to Lisa. He grabbed her hands, staring intently into her eyes. "What do you think, Lis? Isn't it nice? I know you were worried before about Leonard bothering us, but they'll be all the way upstairs –"

"On the _upper floor_ ," Ray said, snarkily.

"– and we'll never even see him," Cisco continued, not sparing Ray a glance or missing a beat. "They're gone time traveling or re-writing history or whatever they do most of the time anyway."

"We don't even live together now," Lisa reminded him, biting her lip.

Cisco sighed. "So, technically, okay, no. I've wanted to ask you to move in with me, officially, for a long time now. But my place – it's, well, it's a bachelor pad. And yours is a dump. Sorry," he added, when she scowled at that, "but it is. My lease ends in a month. I'm sick of splitting our lives between two places that aren't right for either of us anymore. I love you. I want to live with you. This would be the perfect place to make our new home. Together."

Leonard had to admit, the kid was pretty damn convincing. He was surprised to feel something close to…was that respect? For Cisco Ramon?!

"Cisco…" Lisa's face crinkled into a smile. "I love you, and I want to live with you, too. It is a nice place," she admitted, looking around. Her eyes fell on Leonard. "And it could be nice to be close, in case Sara and Leonard ever needed me…for whatever reason," she added, smile softening as she looked at him.

Now that Len knew Sara was pregnant, it probably _would_ be nice to have his sister there for help and support. Whatever expression he made at the thought, she must have taken it as his blessing.

"Okay," Lisa grinned, turning back to Cisco and throwing her arms around him. "Let's do it."

"No, no, no, no!" Donna cried, grabbing her purse off a barstool and rustling through it. "I'm calling Quentin right now and…wait a minute. Where's my phone? And wait…where's _Quentin_?" She sucked in a breath. "He was supposed to come down here with my phone. Where'd he go?"

"Oh, my bad, you weren't here when I told the others," Ray said, suddenly remembering. "I was supposed to tell you he'd be right down. He's upstairs talking to Sara."

"Talking to Sara?" Donna asked, sharply, eyebrows shooting up her forehead as her gaze turned suddenly to Leonard. "Talking about what exactly, hmm?"

"About…whether she'd be okay with him moving to Central City," Ray supplied, shrugging helplessly at Leonard.

 _Raymond Palmer, you're a dead man,_ was the message Leonard's glaring eyes sent him in return.

"We've thrown around the idea of moving here to be closer to Sara after…everything." For a moment, Donna's eyes were sad, and Leonard surmised she was thinking about Laurel. "Never too seriously, though… oh my gosh, I bet he's doing this as a surprise for me!" Donna put a hand to her mouth. "That's it, I'm going to find him and we are signing this lease right now!"

"What lease!" Leonard exclaimed. "There are people still living there at the moment."

Obviously neither she nor Cisco cared about how much sense he was making.

"You leave this apartment, and you forfeit your claim on the one that opens!" Cisco cried, pointing at her.

"What? That makes no –"

"Yup," Cisco decided with a nod. "Whoever stays in this apartment the longest gets dibs. No leaving, not even for fresh air. It's the only fair way to decide," he added.

"That's ridiculous," Donna scoffed, folding her arms. "Why should a silly competition decide anything?"

"Well, what do you propose?" Cisco demanded.

"Maybe Leonard should decide," Donna said. "It's his building after all."

They both turned to him expectantly and Len looked between them with growing dismay. He'd _just_ come around to the thought of Caitlin or Lisa being there, but now Donna and Quentin? And how was he supposed to decide? Either way, someone would hate him, and while _he'd_ be fine with that, Sara most definitely would _not_ be okay with him (and her, by extension) being forced to be the villain for one of their family members or friends.

Thankfully, Mick chose that moment to interrupt with, "It's really not _that_ nice of an apartment that you need to come up with some bizarre contest to win it."

"I think it _is_ that nice," Ray insisted. "We have a lot of great memories here!" He turned to Cisco and Donna who were in some kind of weird, unblinking, face-off. "I want you both to know it's completely fine with us if you need to stay here overnight. I'll make up the sofa, and Mick and I don't mind sharing a room. We'll make it work!"

"Hear that?" Cisco asked Donna. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"The hell you aren't," she scoffed. "Trust me, little boy, you do not know who you're dealing with."

Amid all the chaos, Leonard felt his phone buzz in his back pocket. He pulled it out, nearly collapsing with relief when he saw the message from Sara:

" _Dad is happy. Me, too. Bring everyone back so we can tell them already!"_

He glanced up at Donna and Cisco, who were still bickering over the rules of their standoff. Ray had left the room and already returned with spare sheets (which he carelessly threw on top of Thea) as he gushed about how wonderful it would be to "have company."

" _Not sure that's going to be possible,"_ he replied to Sara, quickly.

Her next message came almost immediately: _"What now?"_


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** We hope you guys enjoy this next chapter! After this, there will probably only be 1-2 more chapters before this story wraps up (but we have lots of ideas for sequels if you love this universe as much as we do). Thanks so much for reading and leaving feedback, it means a lot!

* * *

There was really no way Leonard could explain to Sara what was going on through texts, so he settled for: _"You have to come see this for yourself."_

That was all he had time to send before Cisco and Donna's argument distracted him once again.

"Why do you think you deserve this apartment more than me, anyway?" Donna was asking Cisco. "Sara's my daughter, I need to be near her!"

"Uh, hello?" Felicity raised her hand. "Right here."

"Of course you are, dear," her mother said, absently.

"I'm trying to sleep," Thea complained from the couch, pulling a throw pillow over her head in an attempt to block out their voices.

Felicity's phone started buzzing and she pulled it out, frowning. "Okay, Thea, apparently you've sent Oliver over a dozen incoherent texts tonight and –" her phone buzzed again, "– great, now that you're not answering anymore, he thinks you're dead."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Thea mumbled, removing the pillow from over her head but not bothering to open her eyes. "Hey…tell Ollie…" Her words faded away as she seemingly drifted off to sleep.

"I have to go call him and straighten this out," Felicity told everyone, pointing her phone at Cisco and then her mother. "I'll be back in a minute, please resolve this apartment issue by the time I return." She sent her mother a stern looking, stressing, " _Peacefully,_ " and then went off to the kitchen for privacy.

"Donna," Cisco began, "let's look at this rationally. Your husband has a job in Star City and your home is there. Why would you want to leave? I, on the other hand, have been waiting for an apartment like this to come along for years. _Years,_ Donna! Do you know how cut-throat real-estate is in Central City?"

"I'm sure there's somewhere else out there for you," Donna said, placatingly. "I could even help you look if you want! I have a background in real estate."

"You do?" Caitlin asked.

Donna nodded. "I was a real estate agent for three months back in 1994."

"As qualified as I'm sure that makes you to help us find a place," – Cisco didn't even roll his eyes, which Leonard found admirable – "I like _this_ apartment. This is where Lisa and I want to live, end of story."

Donna must have realized her nice-act wasn't working, as her face hardened. "Well, you're going to have to fight me for it. End of story."

"Bring it," Cisco challenged. "I camped out for _eighteen hours_ to get seats for the early premiere of _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_. And all I had was a lawn chair, a flask, and an empty water bottle. Yeah," he added, at the look on Donna's face, "there was no bathroom! I could stay _here_ literally forever."

"You do have a job, Ramon," Wells reminded him.

Cisco just waved a hand at him. "She'll break long before the weekend's over, I can see it in her eyes."

Donna glared at him. "I can't believe you would be so insensitive," she scolded, putting her hands on her hips. "What if Leonard and Sara have children…someday? Don't you think I deserve to be close to my family?"

All the women in the room turned their eyes to Leonard – and he stubbornly refused to look at any of them, keeping his face carefully blank as he silently cursed. _Damn you, Smoak women._

Cisco, oblivious to the questioning looks, just gaped at Donna for a moment before breaking out into laughter. "Leonard and Sara having kids?" he snickered. "Have you met them? I'm pretty sure they don't want kids, and who says their relationship would even last long enough to _get_ to that point?" He paused, glancing over at Len. "Uh, no offense."

Donna was watching Leonard with a glint in her eyes before cutting her gaze back to Cisco to send him a look that clearly said, _I'm about to prove you wrong_.

Leonard panicked, knowing there was nothing he could say to intervene that wouldn't somehow give away the truth. _Lance, where are you?!_ His eyes met Lisa's across the room, begging her to help.

"As a matter of fact, Cisco," Donna started, "if we're talking about…hypotheticals, I can say with absolute certainty that Len and Sara–"

"Stop!" Lisa cried, gaining the attention of the room and causing Donna to fall quiet. "You don't need to fight. Lenny already promised me I could have the apartment." Leonard closed his eyes, struggling not to growl. Of everything she could've said, she chose the one thing that might make the argument _worse_?

"What?" Donna gasped.

"Really?" Cisco sounded pleasantly surprised. "Why didn't you say so?"

Caitlin was the most shocked of all. "You promised Lisa the apartment?" she asked Len, somewhat hurt. "Then why did you tell me I could have dibs?"

Lisa's jaw dropped as she turned to face her brother. "You told Caitlin she could have dibs? Over me, your own sister?"

"I didn't know you wanted it at the time," Leonard tried to explain.

"Why do _you_ even want it, Caitlin?" Lisa asked, ignoring him. "You're just one person. You're not moving in with your boyfriend, like I am…are you?"

"Maybe I am," Caitlin said quickly. "And he's my fiancé."

"Sorry, _fiancé_ ," Lisa repeated, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"She _will_ be married soon and need a bigger place," Donna conceded, frowning and turning to the other couple. "Caitlin, Harry, you really want the apartment, too?"

Wells raised his hands, in a motion that said _leave me out of it_ , but Caitlin nodded vehemently.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," Caitlin said. "And might I add, as a doctor, I think Sara and Leonard would find me very useful to have around…" She eyed Leonard knowingly.

"What does you being a doctor have to do with anything?" Cisco asked.

"In case any tenants have…medical emergencies," Caitlin frantically backpedaled, not missing the way Donna was narrowing her eyes at her. "I could be like an on-site medical concierge. For a reduction in rent, of course."

"Of course," Len muttered.

Cisco had apparently decided to use Caitlin's own fake engagement against her. "But why would you want to move in here when you could just move into Harry's mansion?" he asked, smugly. "It's like 20,000 square feet or something."

"Uh…too much space," Caitlin said, quickly. "Plus it's so far away, like a half hour outside the city! No, I'd rather live right here. Where I'm close to my friends."

"And _work_?" Wells stressed.

"Sure, work, whatever," she said, in a tone that indicated it was clearly dead last on her list of priorities at the moment.

"Yeah, a half hour is _such_ a long drive," Cisco mocked. "I'd put up with a two-hour commute to live in Harry's kick-ass mansion. Hey, Harry, what do you think about –"

"No, you can't live with me, Ramon."

"I…wasn't going to suggest it," Cisco sulked. He turned to Lisa. "Clearly some people around here don't appreciate what they have."

Donna must have agreed with him on that point, since she started nodding. "Yeah, Caitlin, you don't need to live in these cramped apartments. Why, there's a distinct lack of natural light and have you seen the security measures? The buzzer on the front door doesn't even work!"

"I thought you loved it here?" Cisco accused, as Donna glared at him and then tipped her head not-so-subtly at Caitlin. "Ohhh, yeah, I hate it here, too. You don't want to live here, Caitlin."

"Yes," she said forcefully, "I do."

"Harry, would you get her under control?" Cisco complained.

Caitlin stepped forward, annoyance written all over her face, but Wells quickly put his arm around her, effectively keeping her back from throttling their co-worker.

"You know," Wells told her, thoughtfully, "I didn't care before, but now I think I want you to win. If only to beat Ramon."

"I hate it when you two team up," Cisco sounded betrayed. "You're both insufferable."

"Maybe Haircut and I should be the ones to decide," Mick suggested, startling Leonard; he'd almost forgotten Mick and Ray were even there amidst all the arguing. "After all," Mick added, "whoever gets it will end up as our next-door neighbors."

"How could we possibly choose from so many great options?" Ray asked, and his smile couldn't possibly get any wider.

"I'd be the world's best neighbor," Cisco declared. "I can bake! Do you guys like apple cobbler?"

"Cisco gets the apartment," Mick decided, enthusiastically.

"Yes!" Cisco cheered, throwing his fist into the air.

"Wait," Donna said hastily, "I can cook, too." She paused a moment. "Or, more accurately, I can order from great bakeries. I could set you up a monthly – no – _weekly_ delivery. What do you boys say?"

Mick instantly switched sides. "Okay, Donna gets it."

"Outplayed at my own game," Cisco hissed.

"You can't decide based on what they're going to give you," Caitlin lectured Mick. "That's unethical. It's bribery!"

"I'm not seeing the problem," Mick shrugged. "How good are you at cooking? Though I'm open to cash, too, if you want me to reconsider my ruling. I hear your boyfriend's pretty rich..."

Wells shrugged and glanced at Caitlin. "Want me to pay him off?"

"Foul!" Cisco yelled, turning to Caitlin. "You have an unfair advantage. It's not _my_ fault that my girlfriend can't support the lavish lifestyle to which I'm sure I should be accustomed."

"Aw, anything you want, name it," Lisa offered. "I'll steal it for you."

"Lisa," Len lowered his voice and leaned closer to her, "remember we have company. Could you at least pretend like you're reformed?"

"Why should I when you hardly bother?" his sister sulked. "But fine," she added, halfway in Donna's direction, "I don't actually commit crimes, that's just me…joking."

"Totally believable," Ray loudly whispered, giving her a thumbs up.

"Let's negotiate a price," Mick was telling Wells.

"No," Caitlin snapped, jumping in between them. "No one's buying me an apartment. Although…" She stared off into space before shaking herself out of it. "I couldn't accept it."

"Mick's not deciding anything, anyways," Ray told them. "I think that should still be up to Len and Sara."

Leonard wanted to strangle Palmer – just when he thought he'd gotten off the hook for deciding, the other man had to remind everyone that "technically" he was the landlord, or whatever. Maybe if he listed the building for sale in the morning, that would absolve him of any responsibility…

That was when Donna (hilariously) proclaimed, "Ray and Mick are obviously refined gentlemen and they'd want someone equally as classy living next door. What's more refined than a renowned police captain?"

"A refined gentleman," Ray repeated to himself quietly. "I like that."

"You do know that Caitlin and I work at one of the most preeminent engineering labs in the entire country?" Cisco challenged her. "I think that at least rivals a police captain."

"Let's stop fighting," Ray said, putting one arm around Cisco and the other around Donna. "We could _all_ live here. It'd be like… _our_ building."

"That might be the worst idea you've ever had, Palmer," Mick told him. "And that's saying something considering your track record."

Ray grimaced. "Okay, I'll admit the last mission was tough –"

"No," Mick clarified, "I meant your track record at life."

Ray just smiled at him. "Good thing I have you around to keep me alive, right?"

"I kind of have to at this point," Mick grumbled. "It's like a point of pride. I can't let all my good saves in the past go to waste."

Donna leaned around Ray to stare at Cisco. "Let's talk basics: can you even afford this building?"

"Yes, thank you very much!" Cisco said, affronted. "Also, I'm sure Leonard would give _his sister_ a break on rent, right?" He shot a grin at Len.

"Considering some people in this building don't pay anything at all…" Leonard muttered.

"Hey," Ray said slowly, as if it were just occurring to him, "I could cover everyone's rent, couldn't I?"

"You don't even cover _your own_!" Leonard exclaimed.

"Ray, that's sweet of you," Lisa said, "but it's unnecessary."

"Now, now, Lisa," Cisco shushed her, "let's not dismiss Ray with such haste."

"Who would turn down such a thoughtful gift," Donna asked, studying Ray with admiration. "You're a truly generous man."

"Please, Donna," Ray said, feigning humility, "it's in my nature."

"Ray, we're perfectly capable of paying our own rent," Lisa insisted, apparently the only one of them who had any pride.

Ray wasn't listening to her, though. "I'll set up a trust or something," he said. "It'll pay all the costs associated with the building and in turn we won't have to pay rent."

"It sounds like you want to turn this building into some weird utopian community run by you," Leonard pointed out.

Ray nodded enthusiastically. "Wouldn't that be great?"

"Wouldn't that be a _cult_?" Len asked.

"Eh, semantics," Ray said, unconcerned.

Lisa was watching Mick with growing curiosity. "Ray's idea of paying other people's rent doesn't bother _you_ at all?" Her tone implied that it didn't fit with her image of the man that she'd known for so long.

"Why would it bother me?" Mick asked. "It's Palmer's money, he can do what he wants with it. I'm big on, uh, freedom of choice."

Len wasn't buying it. "Don't forget to add that Ray's been covering your expenses for like two years now. You have a vested interest in letting him continue to do so."

Mick's face broke into a grin. "Yeah, that too."

Leonard shook his head. "I don't know if I want to stay in a building effectively run by Palmer. Maybe it's time for me and Sara to look at other places."

"We'll follow you wherever you go," Ray cheerfully threatened.

"Don't you dare think about moving, Lenny!" Lisa exclaimed, hesitating when a few people looked at her questioningly. "Not when…I've just agreed to live in the building to be closer to you."

"I think we're all forgetting the most important thing here, which is Ray's offer," Cisco told them. "In fact, I took some pre-law classes back in college, so I could draw up some papers right –" He broke off when Lisa kicked him in the shin.

"I can steal plenty of money to cover rent." She looked around, suddenly self-conscious, maybe remembering Len's earlier plea. "And by 'steal' I mean 'earn'. Obviously."

Leonard shook his head at her. "If I don't make these two freeloaders pay anything, how could I charge my own sister rent?"

"I'm not some charity case," she scowled at him.

"That's not what I was implying. Look, pay rent or don't, let Palmer pay it or don't – clearly I'm a horrible landlord at collecting it, either way. But if you want to do something else for me and Sara instead…" Visions of all the changes they'd have to make to their own apartment filled his head. "You could buy us other things, help us…redecorate a few rooms. If you wanted."

Her eyes veritably lit up. "I could redesign your whole apartment!"

Ray actually gasped at the suggestion. "You'd let _her_ redecorate and not me? After I signed you up for all of those catalogues to improve your and Sara's minimalistic taste?!"

Len really didn't have it in him to mediate a pointless fight between Ray and his sister – not when he was already doing his best to stay out of the fight about who got the next open apartment. "I don't think I've stressed enough today that I don't care _what_ any of you do as long as you leave me alone when I want to be left alone. But of course, that's next to impossible for most of you."

"Leonard," Donna was tapping her foot on the floor, obviously annoyed. "I don't want to be presumptuous, but it sounds like you're saying that you've decided Lisa and Cisco can have the apartment."

He was sorely tempted to go wait in the hall for Sara to return. (That was one of her best qualities as far as he was concerned – buffering his interactions with other people so that he didn't end up alienating everyone they knew.) "I…never said that," he hedged.

"Yes, you did," Lisa protested.

"It doesn't matter," Ray said, as if no one should be concerned. "We'll just relocate some other tenants so everyone who wants to move into the building can do so."

"You think people will just willingly break their leases because you ask them to?" Caitlin asked.

"Of course not," Ray explained. "I'll just pay them to leave."

"You can't buy whatever you want," Lisa frowned.

"No, he can," Wells said, as he and Ray nodded at each other. "I've done it plenty of times. Throwing money at a problem almost always works."

"And if it doesn't," Ray added, "you throw even _more_ money at it. It's basically foolproof."

"I wish I had your life," Cisco sighed.

"Relocating people shouldn't be too hard," Ray said. "I'll draw up a list."

"This coming from the man who didn't want to kick anyone out when he first moved in with Mick," Len accused.

"It's different now," Ray protested. "I didn't know so many of our friends would want to move in!"

"But who gets the next open apartment?" Donna persisted, turning to Cisco. "Are we still waiting it out? Whoever stays the longest wins?"

Cisco apparently didn't want to wait for Ray to work his magic, as he nodded at Donna and said, "You bet it's still on. It doesn't matter if Ray kicks other people out –"

"He doesn't have that kind of power," Len insisted, as everyone ignored him.

"– since this fight is for the _first_ apartment to open up next," Cisco finished, as he and Donna nodded at each other in agreement.

"So _all of that_ and we still have nothing accomplished?" Leonard complained. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Settle in, Donna," Cisco said, moving to sit on the opposite end of the couch from Thea, who still appeared to be sleeping. "It's going to be a long weekend."

"Count me in, too," Caitlin declared.

Cisco glanced from her to Wells. "You sure about that? I thought you two had a conference to attend?"

"Oh yeah," Wells nodded, then abruptly switched to shaking his head. "There's no way we're making that."

"You can go," Caitlin offered, moving over to him. "You don't have to stay here because of me."

He squinted down at her. "Yeah, I kind of do. We're fighting for an apartment in the building, right?"

She was momentarily caught off-guard. " _We_ are?"

"Yesss," he said slowly, drawing the word out. "We are." When she stared at him blankly, he prompted, "Because we're engaged?"

She laughed, looking a little sheepish. "Oh! Right, of course."

"Aren't you two heartwarming," Cisco complained.

"Besides," Wells said, looking around in amusement, "this is much more entertaining than the conference on meta-humans we were supposed to attend tonight."

Leonard pointed at him. "Whatever drug you're on, get me some."

Cisco wasn't happy at the addition of another player in his contest. "I think it's kind of late for you to throw your hat in the mix, Caitlin."

"Fair is fair," Lisa spoke before Caitlin could. "Be a good sport. You set the terms and you never limited it to just you and Donna – that means anyone can participate."

"Whose side are you on?" Cisco accused her. "You don't know how Caitlin and Harry work. Individually they're scary – you have no _idea_ the kind of psychological warfare they can engage in together. Remember, I work with them, so I've seen it firsthand."

"You say that like you think we'll do something underhanded, Ramon," Wells said, staring at him. And then he _kept_ staring at him as Cisco became more and more uncomfortable.

"Uh…" Cisco shifted uneasily, looking anywhere except at his boss, and then finally asked, "You guys have snacks, right, Ray? I'm going to go get some for us!" He quickly fled to the kitchen.

"He makes it so easy," Wells said, "I almost feel bad."

Caitlin couldn't help her smile as she leaned against Wells' side. "I think we've got round one pretty firmly in hand."

"We should make an alliance," Donna whispered to them theatrically. "Take out Cisco together and then it'll just be down to us."

"You guys are talking like I won't just report your plan to him," Lisa said.

Donna tried not to laugh. "Do you really want to stay here all weekend with him?"

Lisa must not have thought that far ahead, since her demeanor quickly changed. "Fair point. We could probably wait a few more weeks until Ray pays some people off." She turned to Wells with approval. "Go ahead and scare him out of here."

"That's the spirit," Mick cheered, as Ray shot him a disapproving look.

"What's the spirit?" Cisco asked, returning to the room with a bowl of pretzels.

Caitlin was situated slightly behind him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Psychological warfare."

Cisco jumped and whipped around to face her. "Stop being creepy! Harry, make her stop being creepy."

"Why?" Wells asked. "She's intent on making you miserable – I love this side of her."

Cisco threw a pretzel at each of them in protest. "You'll never win, not with Lisa on my side. She's not afraid to get tough…whereas I have more delicate sensibilities."

"Should we tell him?" Wells asked Caitlin, as they both looked over at Lisa.

"Tell me what?" Cisco turned to his girlfriend. "Lisa?"

"Uh, I kind of told them that we should forfeit this round –"

"What! Lisa…" he whined.

"I don't want to spend all weekend here," she cajoled. "I thought that after finally deciding to live together we could leave and…go celebrate."

"I'm not in the mood for a party," he sulked, crossing his arms.

"No, Cisco… _celebrate_ ," she hinted, winking at him.

"Oh come on," Len said, stalking away from them and checking his phone again. If Sara wasn't there within 60 seconds he was leaving – there was only so much a man could take.

"Oh," Cisco said. " _Ohhhh_. Yeah, Lis, I like your idea much better than mine. Buuut, there's still the principle of winning…" He sounded truly torn before finally shaking his head as her shoulders fell. He leaned over to give her a quick kiss in apology. "I love you – just accept this is something I have to do."

Lisa heaved a sigh and grabbed a pretzel from the bowl. "I'm used to it by now."

Donna shot her gaze over to Caitlin. "Looks like the game is only just beginning."

"Psychological warfare," Caitlin repeated to her in warning.

"Is that all you're going to say this weekend?" Cisco chided, quickly backing away when she took a menacing step toward him.

Wells put his hands on Caitlin's shoulders and leaned down to suggest, "We could still buy our way out of it."

"Not as much fun," she told him, dismissively.

Len felt his phone vibrate (finally!) and checked it to find a text from Sara: " _Sorry that everyone we know is crazy, we'll be down in a minute."_

That was what spurred him into action. "Alright, I've indulged everyone long enough," he said, stepping into the middle of the room. "Listen to me: Sara's coming downstairs. She's had a very long day. She hasn't been feeling well. And the last thing I need is for any of you to upset her by arguing over who gets to live here."

He glared around the room. It would be hard to forgive them, family or not, if they ruined this night for Sara.

"Why would people fighting upset her?" Mick asked, frowning. "She's more than used to us by now."

Leonard just sighed, ignoring him. "There are a few more apartments that may be opening up in the next couple of months," he informed them, "and that's not even counting anyone Ray seems convinced he can make move by the power of his bank account alone. So we can _talk_ about it civilly, but _no one_ is going to argue about it. If you don't agree with that stipulation, you can leave right now."

He made eye contact with each of them, noting with satisfaction that Donna, Cisco, and Caitlin looked appropriately chagrined.

The wheels appeared to be turning in Cisco's head. "Wait…Sara's had a long night, and she was acting strange earlier, and apartments are opening up…" He stared at Leonard with increasing dismay. "Are you and Sara breaking up? Is that why she's been distant all night?"

"You're breaking up?" Mick asked, scowling. Then he just shrugged, dropping a heavy hand on Leonard's shoulder. "Well, it happens, buddy. Relationships run their course, it'll be okay." He paused. "I'm sure Sara will find someone else."

"Gee, thanks," Len sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Wait, you're breaking up?" Donna asked, face falling as she turned to Leonard. "But I thought…does that mean Sara's not…?"

Felicity had returned to the room and heard her mother's questions. "What are you guys going on about? They're not breaking up," she chided, before looking sharply at Leonard. "Wait. Are you?"

"See?" Ray gloated. "It's not that far-fetched! You can't blame me now for thinking the same thing earlier."

"I can blame you for anything and everything, Palmer," Len promised. "Trust me. And no, we are _not_ breaking up." He glanced toward the door. _Seriously, where are you, Lance?_

Thea, as usual, chose the worst moment to return to consciousness as she sat up on the couch. "Len, what was that about you and Sara breaking up?" she asked, face scrunched up against tears at the thought. "What happened while I was asleep?"

That was when Leonard heard knocking at the front door (had Ray seriously locked it again?). "Hold on, I'll be right back." He went to answer the door, sighing in relief to find Sara and Quentin on the other side. He quickly stepped into the hall, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Hey, what's –" Sara stopped when Len wrapped her in his arms and lifted her off her feet. (She was _always_ what he needed when things got to be too much.) He held her much longer than he normally would have – especially with Quentin right there – but he was too damn happy to see her. And a bit desperate to keep her by his side for the rest of the night, because when it came to the others, he just couldn't deal with them anymore.

"What took you so long?" he asked, somewhat aggrieved, when he finally set her down. "Did you get lost on the way down here?"

She sent him a knowing look, not even bothering to answer his questions. "What's wrong?"

"We need to tell them now," he said.

"Now?" she asked, nervously, "Like, right _now_ , now? I thought we could go back upstairs and –"

"No, right now," he interrupted. "Trust me. If we wait any longer, _they'll_ be the ones telling _us_."

He moved back from her, and to his surprise, Quentin grasped his shoulder and pulled him into a half-hug of his own.

"I'm so happy for you guys," Quentin said, softly, patting Leonard on the back. "And I want you to know, Donna and I are going to be here to help as much – or as little – as you guys want. You just have to call, and we'll be over as fast as the – well, not as fast as the Flash, but pretty close."

"Thank you, Quentin. That means a lot," Leonard said, wondering how Quentin would react to the standoff going on inside the apartment. He was also unexpectedly pleased at the other man's offer, given who it was coming from. "Can we talk later? We're going to tell everyone in a minute."

"Sure," Quentin agreed, as he entered the apartment. "I'll just be inside."

Leonard took Sara's hand, rubbing the backs of her knuckles with his thumb.

"Ready?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, then smiled at him. "It's going to be crazy once they all know."

"You're implying it's not already," he pointed out. "Crazy is what they do best."

"It's funny," Sara added, leaning into him. "Earlier today, when I first realized I might be pregnant, I told Cait I didn't want anyone else around when we found out. I thought it would be too much."

"These people? Too much?" he joked.

She smiled a little. "I was also worried, if everyone got excited, and then something happened…" she trailed off, biting her lip, and he gripped her hand tighter. "But, I'm glad," she continued, "because they're all going to be there for us. No matter what, we're not alone in this. And I couldn't imagine them not being here for the best moment of our lives."

"The best moment _so far_ ," he clarified. "There'll be many more."

"With you, I never doubted it," she said, quietly, as he kissed her temple. "So let's tell them."

* * *

They entered the apartment, moving through the short entryway and into the living room. Sara took a deep breath, slowly looking around at all her friends. Her family.

A hush had fallen over the room as they watched her and Leonard expectantly, and she felt a strange attack of nerves.

Most of them suspected she was pregnant already, so why did it seem so intimidating to tell them now? Maybe it was because once she said it out loud, it'd be _real_ in a way it wasn't before. There was no taking it back. This was their new reality, no matter what happened next.

"I…we…" She heard her own voice shaking, and couldn't say anything more. She felt like she wanted to collapse, and then Leonard put his arms around her shoulders, clasping them across her collarbone, and she leaned back against him in relief.

"We have something to tell you," Len told everyone.

"Let me save you the trouble," Cisco said, "because I know it's going to be hard for both of you to say out loud, but it's okay if your relationship has run its course. You guys don't have to pretend for our benefit."

That snapped Sara out of her haze. "What?"

"It's been obvious for a while now. The two of you acting strange and how you've been avoiding each other, and I see that now you're both putting on a strong front, but…" Cisco looked truly dejected.

"It'll be okay, Sara," Mick consoled her. "You'll find someone new. Someone better."

Leonard truly had no idea if Mick was deliberately trying to bait him or not. "Can you just _stop talking_?"

"He has a temper," Mick whispered to Sara.

"We're not breaking up," Sara said, confused. "Why does everyone think that, tonight?"

"Oh, no," Cisco moaned. "He didn't even tell _you_ ,yet? That's low, Snart. Even for you."

Len pressed his forehead to the top of Sara's shoulder. "Lance, please. Help me. I can't do this anymore."

"We're not breaking up," she repeated, looking around and finding more strength – both from the man behind her and from the knowing looks of her friends – Felicity, Lisa, Caitlin, Ray… They were just waiting, clearly hoping, and her eyes teared up against her will. "We have a very different kind of news."

"Do you?" Ray asked, grinning widely. "Whatever could you be talking about?"

"Go on," Lisa urged, completely failing to hide her smile, "we're on the edge of our seats."

Sara wiped at her eyes. "Do I even have to say it? Most of you know already."

Caitlin's face broke out into a smile as she took a step toward her friend. "It was positive?"

"Yes," Sara said, matching her smile, and Len let her go so that she could open her arms right before Caitlin dove forward to pull her into a tight hug.

"I'm so happy for you," Caitlin whispered. "So, so happy. I _knew_ it was okay to hope…I knew it."

"What's positive?" Cisco asked, still confused. "What am I missing?"

"I'm pregnant," Sara said, and it was apparently the permission everyone needed to react, as the room erupted into chaos with everyone calling out their congratulations and circling around to take turns hugging her and Len.

"What!" Cisco shouted, voice rising above the din. He had a grin on his face, but he looked a little sheepish, too. "Leonard, I'm sorry man, I didn't mean anything before when I said you guys would never, uh, get to that point…" he shrugged, helplessly.

"What's he talking about?" Sara asked Leonard, peering at him in question over Lisa's shoulder.

"Much like we do with Palmer, you're best off learning to disregard everything Cisco says," Leonard replied, as Cisco frowned in annoyance. Sara didn't have time to dwell on it though, too distracted by Donna rushing at her.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Donna yelled, practically crushing Sara in her hug. She only released her to turn to Quentin. "Did you know?"

"Yeah," he smiled, "Sara just told me upstairs. Guess this makes us Grandma and Grandpa now."

Donna burst into tears, and Quentin wrapped his arms around her, laughing a little as his own eyes watered.

Felicity took Donna's place at Sara's side, squeezing Sara quickly before letting go to wipe away her own tears. "I can't believe you're really pregnant!"

"And," Thea announced loudly, from the couch, "it's _not_ Oliver's!"

The room quieted a bit as people looked between the two women.

"See, I got your back, Sara," Thea said, saluting her and then falling back into the couch cushions – it seemed even sitting up straight was too much for her at the moment.

"Who said anything about Oliver?" Felicity was confused. "Wait, he mentioned you rambling about babies in some of your texts. Honestly, Thea."

"It was nothing, just a misunderstanding," Ray coughed. "No need to get into that now."

Sara turned to see Mick standing a little outside the rest of the group, staring at her without much of an expression.

"You okay, Mick?" she asked hesitantly, nervous at his reaction. She approached him, trying to mask her worry.

"You mean you…" He pointed weakly at her. "And you…" His eyes and finger moved toward Leonard, who had come to stand beside her. "Are…?"

"Having a baby?" Sara supplied, smiling faintly. "Yeah…" She paused before continuing, "What do you think?"

He frowned, considering her. "Where does that leave me?" he asked. "Us?" he added, pointing at Ray.

"Well," Sara started, taking a step closer to him. "How do you feel about being Uncle Mickey?"

Mick raised his eyebrows. "Uncle Mickey, huh?" He seemed to be thinking about it, and for a moment she worried he was going to storm out. Then his face broke into a huge grin, and he barked out a laugh. "Uncle Mickey and Aunt Haircut, I love it!"

"Hey," Ray whined. "Why am I an aunt?!"

Mick ignored him, instead scooping Sara into his arms into a tight bear hug. "It's gonna be the luckiest kid alive with you two for parents," he said softly into her ear as he squeezed her a little tighter. Sara sighed in relief, hugging him back.

"Careful there, Mick, or you'll squish the baby," Ray joked.

"What? No!" Mick dropped Sara suddenly, throwing his hands up as he stared, horrified, at her stomach.

"Ray," Sara chided, throwing him an annoyed glance. "You can't squish it, Mick. It's pretty well-protected. And it's like, _this_ big." She held her thumb and forefinger apart, showing him. Behind his back, Caitlin coughed, inching her own thumb and finger closer together while mouthing _"Smaller._ "

Sara shrank her fingers together. "Oh. _This_ big." Caitlin just shook her head, moving her fingers even closer together. Sara shrugged, giving up with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it," she finished with a smile.

Mick nodded, grin reappearing on his face. "I can't believe you guys managed to keep this a secret," he said.

" _Secret" is a relative term,_ Sara thought, gazing around at the knowing looks on most of her friends' faces.

"Wait," Wells said, confused. He took the bowl of pretzels Cisco handed him so the younger man could take his turn hugging Sara. "This is a surprise to everyone?"

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked.

He shrugged, tossing her a pretzel. "I just assumed it was common knowledge already." Upon seeing their confusion, he added, "Come on. It was obvious."

"How so?" Cisco demanded, grabbing back his snack bowl.

Wells seemed genuinely astonished. "She had all the textbook symptoms. She felt sick, she was excessively tired, she was overly emotional, projecting onto that plant of all things –"

"My plant…" Sara agreed, mournfully, as Ray snapped his fingers to get her attention and mouthed " _I'm repotting it for you_."

"She spent half the evening in the bathroom, for God's sake," Wells finished, turning to Caitlin. "You're a _doctor_. How did you, of all people, not know?"

"It's not like I didn't suspect it," she told him, "but we couldn't be sure until she took a test. There are lots of things that share the same symptoms as pregnancy," she added, defensively.

Wells just laughed. "Sure. Okay. But congratulations, you two," he added, hugging Sara and then shaking Len's hand.

"So I should have just asked you, huh?" Sara asked him, amused.

"I guess so," Wells said, lightly. "Keep it in mind for next time."

"You won't have to worry about anything," Caitlin told Sara. "We're going to move in."

"Move in?" Sara asked. _Wait a minute_. " _We_?"

"We're engaged now," Caitlin smirked, motioning from herself to Wells.

Sara shifted her gaze between the two of them several times. "What?"

Wells was nodding in agreement. "It's a complicated story."

Sara turned back to Len. "How long was I upstairs?" she whispered.

"Far too long," he assured her.

"We're not in some…alternate timeline, are we?" Sara questioned, warily.

"Nothing like that," Caitlin told her. "More like Harry wanted to avoid being set up by Donna and…it kind of grew from there."

"As long as you're on the same page…" Sara said, sending Caitlin a critical glance – she knew her friend's true feelings and hoped that whatever this was, it wouldn't end with Caitlin getting hurt.

"It's fine," Caitlin said, sunnily. "We're getting married in the Caribbean."

"You're _what_?" Sara demanded.

They'd spoken loudly enough that Donna had overheard. "I'm helping them plan the wedding!" she called to them.

"We're talking later," Sara warned Caitlin, as Donna came over to hug Sara again.

"I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother now. Finally, _one_ of my children will give me that much-longed for grandchild." Donna patted Sara on the cheek before sending a glance toward Felicity who sighed and went back to the kitchen, muttering something about needing another drink.

"We're very excited," Sara said, as Donna squeezed her hands.

"Which brings me to a small matter you can settle for us once and for all," Donna said. "Since Leonard refused."

"Donna –" Len tried, but it was too late.

"Cisco, Caitlin, and I all want the next open apartment in the building," Donna explained. "Leonard won't pick any of us over the others, so who would you most like with you? In your time of need?"

Sara sent an anxious look toward Len, having no idea what was going on, before turning back to her stepmother. "Wait. You all want to live here?" She glanced at her father. "Dad? Were you on board with this?"

"Donna and I had been talking about moving to Central City to be closer to you," he said. "Now that you're having a baby, well…" He smiled, holding his hands out. "I couldn't pass it up."

Sara turned to Caitlin. "And you?"

"My apartment's awful, so yeah, I was strongly leaning toward it," Caitlin said. "Though that's not the main reason – the main reason is you."

Sara felt like her entire world was flipping upside down as she turned to Lisa and then twisted another half-foot to face Cisco. " _You_ really want to live in the same building as Leonard?" she asked, perhaps shocked at his desire to move in over anyone else's.

"We'll barely ever see each other," Cisco said, hint of question in his voice as he sent Len a wary glance. "Anyway, it's worth it – this is the perfect place for me and Lisa. And now that I know you're pregnant, I'm beginning to understand why Lisa was suddenly so eager to move here. So," he concluded, "who gets to move in first?"

Sara slowly looked around the room, taking in everything they'd told her, and… "You all want to move in because of…me? Because of the baby?"

They all started talking at once, a nearly incomprehensible chorus of "yes" and "of course" and "why wouldn't we?" that had her on the verge of tears ( _again, really?!_ ). The show of support was overwhelming. "I can't choose," she said, shaking her head and trying not to get too emotional. "I want you _all_ to live here."

"Oh honey," Donna said, regret all over her face, "we didn't mean to upset you by asking!"

Lisa and Cisco were nodding in agreement. "We'll figure it out on our own," Cisco assured her.

"Right. What Cisco said," Caitlin added, rubbing Sara's arm.

Ray was looking around, none too pleased with them. "You won't have to worry about anything, Sara," he informed her, "since as I _already_ told everyone, I'm going to put a plan into motion that ensures anyone who wants to live here will be able to do so."

"How are you going to do that?" Sara asked.

"He wants to throw money at the problem," Leonard answered for him.

It wasn't hard for her to deduce what that meant, as she continued, incredulous, "He's going to pay people to move out?"

"I know, right?" Len shook his head. "It's absolutely insane, but that's Palmer for –"

"That's one of the sweetest things I've ever heard," Sara cried, clutching Ray's arms as she stared up at him in earnest. "You'd do that for us?"

"I'd do anything for you guys," Ray said, sounding a bit choked up, and Sara caught a glimpse of the dismay on Leonard's face before Ray pulled her into a hug.

"We love you, too," Sara told him, pressing her cheek to Ray's shoulder.

"Lance," Leonard hissed, "stop encouraging his brand of insanity."

"Sara!" Thea cried from the couch, interrupting them. "I just remembered, you're pregnant!"

"I know!" Sara called back, laughing as Ray let go of her and Thea launched herself off the couch and across the room. The younger girl threw her arms around Sara, apparently forgetting they'd played out this scene upstairs already. Thea then hugged Leonard again, as well, and Sara noted that he didn't even seem to mind.

"How far along are you, anyway?" Thea asked. Suddenly, all eyes in the room were back on them.

"Um, I really have no idea," Sara said, a little sheepishly.

"I'll bet it was during that mission to London six, seven weeks ago?" Mick suggested, knowing smirk on his face. "You two went off the grid for _way_ too long. As if any of us bought that you were 'sight-seeing' – unless it was each other naked."

Sara tried to refute it, but she fell into some awful mixture of coughing and laughing and couldn't get a word out edgewise.

"I don't think so," Ray told Mick. "Based on Sara's cycle, I'd bet it was after the trip to ancient Greece, five weeks ago. Remember? Rip went looking for you two, wondering why you hadn't checked in – I can still hear his scream of shock..."

"Rip is overly dramatic," Len said quickly, in their defense. "We were only kissing _and_ we were still dressed. Mostly. He needs to learn to knock."

"Or you could enable the locks," Ray said, dryly.

"We weren't exactly thinking about that," Sara said, before realizing that didn't help their case. And wait a minute – she turned back to Ray, asking, "What do you mean _based on my cycle_?"

"It's not exactly hard to figure out," Ray said, rolling his eyes, as if _that_ was the questionable part here.

"Stop," Lisa begged, squeezing her eyes closed and covering her ears.

Sara couldn't help laughing as she watched a faint blush work its way onto Leonard's cheeks. Then she heard her _father_ clear his throat, reminding her that he and Donna were there. _Oh god, all her teenage nightmares were coming true_.

"Okay guys, hilarious…uh... _jokes_. But that's enough," Sara said sternly, sending both Mick and Ray sharp looks. They exchanged grins as Mick pantomimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key – even as he looked suspiciously ready to make further suggestions.

"I bet you're earlier along than they're saying," Cisco spoke up. "I mean, you're still looking pretty fit, Sara." When Len just looked at him, Cisco cleared his throat and added, "It's a compliment! I'd guess you're around four weeks."

"Do you know anything about pregnancy, Cisco?" Lisa asked, rolling her eyes.

"Do _you_?" he shot back.

"I've seen my share of medical dramas on TV," Lisa said, haughtily. "I bet she's at seven or eight weeks."

"Hmm, but she already has a glow about her," Donna said, considering Sara. "I think she's into her third month."

"I have to agree, Donna," Wells nodded, thoughtfully. "I'd guess…nine weeks."

"Guys, I'm literally right here," Sara said, feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious under the weight of their scrutiny.

"Why don't we find out?" Caitlin suggested, and everyone looked at her curiously. "Let's just go down to S.T.A.R. Labs. We'd be able to get a pretty good estimate with the equipment there."

"Good idea, Snow," Wells agreed, checking his watch. "Shouldn't be too much traffic now, either."

"Right now?" Sara asked, a little incredulous. "With everyone?"

"Oh, what a great idea!" Donna gushed. "We could be there for your first ultrasound! Come on everyone," she added, "let's grab our coats from upstairs." When no one immediately moved, she looked around, somewhat threateningly. "Move!" she repeated, and that got them heading toward the door, no one daring to disagree with her when she was being that forceful.

"What's happening?" Felicity asked, emerging from the kitchen with a glass of wine in her hand. Everyone was gone except Sara and Leonard.

Sara couldn't deny that the more she thought about it, the more excited she was about actually getting to see a picture of the baby. "Well, it looks like we're going to S.T.A.R. Labs for a sonogram. It was Cait's idea, but your mother was…insistent."

Felicity took a long sip of her wine and studied them, far too amused, before heading to the door. "Aren't you glad you're a part of this family now, Leonard?"

"Ask me that again in a couple years, Smoak." He paused dramatically. "If I make it that long."

Sara gave him a sharp nudge in the back as a silent rebuke, and he just laughed. "More like if I _let_ you make it that long," she warned, trying not to smile when he just laughed at that, too.


End file.
